Paspalum bifidum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; fleshy; woolly. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blades 15–40 cm long; 4–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; flexuous; unilateral; 4–16 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing lax; regular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; turgidly plano-convex; obtuse; 3.3–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one to two the lower present in some spikelets; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1 length of spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. 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; 5–7 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.3–4 mm long; indurate; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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