Paspalum maritimum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Stolons absent, or present. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–50 cm long. Culm-nodes black; pubescent, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 6–50 cm long; 8–20 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–6 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing crowded; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.7–2 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; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; indurate; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Man Gr WI 1994.

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