Paspalum breve

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms slender; 5–10 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3–6 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 0.8–1.5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.7 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; turgidly plano-convex; obtuse; 1.4 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. 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 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.4 mm long; indurate; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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