Paspalum centrale

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–85 cm long; 1–2.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes with small lumen; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths loose; narrower than blade at the collar; keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long; brown. Leaf-blades 9–24 cm long; 3–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1.5–8 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; 1–1.3 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2–2.5 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; membranous; without keels; 4–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or obscure. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 4–5 -veined; without midvein, or with obscure midvein; with unevenly spaced veins (near margin); obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; 1.8–2.2 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–0.9 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costaric 1993.

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