Paspalum heterotrichon

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms leaning; slender; 50–90 cm long; wiry. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample, or fastigiate; arising from mid culm and upper culm. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4–5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–15 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (1–)2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–6 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; membranous; 3–4 mm wide; light-coloured (yellow); terminating in a barren extension; extension flattened. Spikelet packing abaxial. Raceme-bases brief; hirsute.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.5 mm long; 0.8 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; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface villous; hairy at base; with marginal tufts of hair (single 2–3mm hair). Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume hairs white; 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; sulcate; ciliate on margins; fringed above. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 1.7 mm long; 0.6 mm wide; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; coriaceous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. 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.