Paspalum ammodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 65 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaves mostly basal; without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6–0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 12–20 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 10 cm long; glabrous.

Racemes 6; digitate; unilateral; 2–3.5 cm long; 4 mm wide. Central inflorescence axis 3.5 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.7 mm wide; smooth on margins. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5 mm long; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblanceolate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 3.3–3.5 mm long; 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; mid-green and purple (margins); without keels; 5–6 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume hairs 1–2 mm long. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; mid-green and purple (margins); 5–6 -veined; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; bearing hairs 1–2 mm long; obtuse, or acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 3–3.3 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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