Paspalum mayanum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–15 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.3–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1.5–6 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.5–0.7 mm wide; with scattered hairs, or glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing crowded. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.6–1.8 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; 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 puberulous.

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; puberulous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6–1.8 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Yucatan 1994.

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