Panicum gilvum
Launert Sweet PanicTufted annual. Culms decumbent at base then ascending, to 60 cm high; nodes glabrous, usually prominent and yellowish. Leaves glabrous or ciliate about the sheath-blade junction; sheath usually purplish; blade flat or folded, to 25 cm long and 8 mm wide; ligule 1–2.5 mm long, ciliate. Panicle 7–20 cm long, its base remaining enclosed in upper sheath, primary branches remaining appressed to main axis until maturity, secondary branches remaining appressed. Spikelets 2.3–3.5 mm long; lower glume weakly 1-nerved, broadly obtuse or truncate, usually with an acute central point, 0.5–1 mm long; upper glume 7–11-nerved, acute, as long as the spikelet; lemma of lower floret equal to upper glume; palea of lower floret c. three-quarters as long as its lemma; fertile lemma acute at maturity, slightly shorter than spikelet, hard, shining, dorsally rounded; palea subequal to lemma, flat or concave. Flowers Dec.–May.
Wim, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, HSF, HNF. Also naturalised in Qld, NSW. Native to south-west Africa. In Victoria, formerly restricted to the Murray-Goulburn irrigation areas, but recently becoming more widespread, especially in areas receiving good summer rains or irrigation (e.g. Snowy-River flats near Orbost, greater Melbourne area, Portland). Palatable to stock, but known to cause photosensitization.
See note under Panicum schinzii.
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning