Paspalum lamprocaryon

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; robust; 90–200 cm long; 3–7 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–30 cm long; 8–27 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–11; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–12 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–9 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; 2–3 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2–2.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; dark brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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