Paspalum ovale

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 90–140 cm long; 3 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths 20–35 cm long; without keel, or keeled; striately veined; smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; brown. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 30–50 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; arcuate; unilateral; 5–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 4 mm long; 2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 3.25 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins (near margin); obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Parodi 1997.

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