| Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Panicum | > | repens |
| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | Couch panicum (English) Mfafa (Setswana) Mhaha (Setswana) Mohaha (Setswana) Torpedo grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial with long rhizomes and occasionally with surface stolons; culms 30–100 cm. high, erect or decumbent, tough, often arising from a knotty base. Leaf laminae 7–25 cm. long and 2–8 mm. wide, linear, flat or involute, often strongly distichous and ascending close to the stem, usually stiff and pungent. Panicle 5–20 cm. long, narrowly oblong, sparsely to moderately branched, the branches usually ascending. Spikelets 2.5–3 mm. long, ovate-elliptic or ovate, acute, inferior glume 1/3 the length of the spikelet, broadly ovate or cuff-like, membranous, 0–3-nerved, clasping the base of the spikelet, obtuse or acute; superior glume 7–9-nerved; inferior lemma similar to the superior glume, male, its palea well developed; superior lemma and palea pallid, glossy. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | repens: creeping |
| Habitat: | Marshy places |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Throughout the tropics and subtropics |
| Botswana distribution: | N |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 28. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 28 - 29. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 52. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 107. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 162 - 163. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 142. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 191. |
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