Paspalum guttatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 30–80 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–50 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage.

Racemes 1–3; single, or paired, or digitate; unilateral; 3–11 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged (irregularly dentate); flattened; 1–1.5 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; irregular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 4.5 mm long; 1.5 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; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 5 -veined; villous; with tubercle-based hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Send & Burm 1995.

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