Paspalum azuayense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–65 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–12 cm long; 4–6 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; digitate; straight, or flexuous; unilateral; 2.4–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.9–1 mm wide; dark-coloured. Raceme-bases pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.6–2.1 mm long; 1.2–1.5 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; dark brown; without keels. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; dark brown; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Sohns 2002.

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