Paspalum multinervium

HABIT Perennial. Culms 60–160 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 40–70 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 16–21 cm long. Rhachis wingless; semiterete. Spikelet packing regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–2 mm long; 0.15–0.7 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate; 3 -awned (mucros). Upper glume awn subapical.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 5 -veined; sulcate (readily splitting); acute. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on flanks at maturity. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous.

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

NOTES Paniceae. = Thrasya reticulata. WDC.

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