Paspalum lineare

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 40–110 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; terete; 30–60 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pilose above.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 4–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.4–1 cm long. Rhachis wingless; 0.4–0.7 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; lax; 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases linear; 4–6 mm long; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 4.3–5 mm long; 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 with basal tufts of hair (1 on each margin). Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.8–4.3 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose and striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.6 mm long.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costaric 1993.

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