Paspalum dispar

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 12–35 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 1.5–4.5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.9 mm long; 1.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2 length of spikelet (lower), or 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet (upper of pair); 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.1–0.9 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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