Paspalum crispulum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms slender; 23–33 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; filiform; 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pilose above.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 2(–3) cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0 cm long. Rhachis 0.4 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.9–2 mm long; 0.8 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; 5 -veined.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.9–2 mm long; indurate; pallid; dull; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Swallen 1997.

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