Paspalum canarae

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent, or prostrate; 10–40 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades elliptic; 1–5 cm long; 2–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–15; digitate; spreading; unilateral; 0.5–2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; with sharp-edged midrib; 0.5 mm wide; tuberculate on margins; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing abaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; setose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1–1.25 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume obovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume margins tuberculate; eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; eciliate on margins, or ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma ovate, or orbicular; gibbous; 1–1.25 mm long; indurate; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3–0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Nair 1993.

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