Paspalum densum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths spongy. Culms erect; robust; 80–200 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; keeled; reticulately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate, or bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 50–100 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 50–100; borne along a central axis; closely spaced (pyramidal); unilateral; 3–9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 12–20(–40) cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1.2–1.5 mm wide; dark-coloured (purple); scabrous on margins; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 2–5 mm long. Spikelet packing crowded; irregular. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.9–2.2 mm long; 1.8 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; hyaline; light brown; without keels; 3 -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; hyaline; light brown; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; 1.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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