Pennisetum clandestinum
kikuyu grass
3-45 cm, decumbent, highly branching;
nodes glabrous.
glabrous or pubescent;
ligules 1.3-2.2 mm;
blades 1-15 cm long, 1-6 mm wide, flat or folded, glabrous or pubescent.
2-2.7 cm, axillary, concealed in the sheaths;
rachises flat, glabrous or scabrous.
10-22 mm, sessile or pedicellate, pedicels to 0.2 mm;
lower glumes usually absent, sometimes to 0.5 mm, veinless;
upper glumes 0-1.3(3.5) mm, veinless;
lower florets sterile;
lower lemmas 10-22 mm, 9-13-veined;
lower paleas usually absent;
upper lemmas 10-22 mm, 8-12-veined;
upper paleas 2-7-veined;
anthers 4.7-7 mm, long-exserted from the florets at anthesis.
1-6;
axes to 0.5 mm, with 1-2 spikelets;
outer and inner bristles alike, 6-15, 0.5-10.9 mm;
primary bristles 10-14 mm, usually not noticeably longer than the other bristles.
= 36.
Pennisetum clandestinum
Pennisetum clandestinum is native to Africa. It now grows in many parts of the world, often as a forage or lawn grass. The U.S. Department of Agriculture considers it a noxious weed. In parts of the Flora region, it is well-established in lawns.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
