Paspalum sumatrense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–130 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or hirsute; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (1–)2–5(–12); digitate, or borne along a central axis; spreading; unilateral; 1.5–6.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–10 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with sharp-edged midrib; 1.7–3 mm wide; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing regular; 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.3–0.8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.7–2.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume obovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. 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; chartaceous; 3 -veined; glabrous, or puberulous; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic, or obovate; gibbous; 1.6–2.4 mm long; indurate; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, northwestern, and north-central.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Ceyl 1993.

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