Paspalum culiacanum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 60–85 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; ridged; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades ascending; 10–23 cm long; 6–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; bracteate at branch bases.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4.5–7.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3.5–7 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide; with scattered hairs, or glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2.3 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one to two the lower present in some spikelets; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. 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; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex papillose. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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