Paspalum acutum

HABIT Perennial. Culms robust; 100–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; striately veined; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 30–75 cm long; 14–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; drooping; unilateral; 8–12 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1–1.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins. Raceme-bases brief; hirsute.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; acute; 3.5–3.9 mm long; 2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; dark green; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; dark green; 5 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins (near margin); eciliate on margins, or ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; 1.8 mm wide; indurate; pallid, or yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.