Paspalum nesiotes

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; slender; 45–120 cm long. Lateral branches sparse; arising from mid culm. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 25–50 cm long; 6–11 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–14; borne along a central axis; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 4–10 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.8 mm wide. 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 orbicular, or obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.9–2 mm long; 1.5 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; 3 -veined. 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 ovate; 1.8–1.9 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. 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.