Paspalum macrophyllum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pilose. Culms 100–150 cm long. Lateral branches sparse; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–39 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 2–2.7 mm long; 1.4 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one to two the lower present in some spikelets; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose and striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: north-central. South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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