Paspalum caespitosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 35–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–25 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.6–1.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 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; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; glabrous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6–1.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl. Meso-Amer 2004.

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