Paspalum blodgettii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous; not bulbous, or thickened and forming a bulb. Culms erect; slender; 40–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; black; glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long; 3–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–12; borne along a central axis; arcuate; unilateral; 2–8 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.3–1.4 mm long; 0.9 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; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with capitate hairs. 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; 3–5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; 1.2–1.3 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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