Paspalum dedeccae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 70–130 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 40 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–5; digitate; unilateral; 4–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 3.8–4.8 mm long; 1.7–2.3 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; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; prominently veined; glabrous to pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.8–4.8 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Quarin 1995.

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