Paspalum motembense

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; wider than blade at the collar; keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 20–30 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4.5–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2.5 mm long; 1.2–1.4 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; light brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy below. 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; light brown; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.3 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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