Paspalum cultratum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 50–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 11–35 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 6–15 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; with sharp-edged midrib; semiterete; 1 mm wide. Spikelet packing irregular; 2–4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 4–5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, or orbicular; 0.2–0.5 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 5 -veined; sulcate (readily splitting); obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on keels at maturity; winged on keels. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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