Paspalum pallens

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–80 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; flat, or conduplicate; 8–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 2.5–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5–0.6 mm wide; glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.5–3.4 mm long; 1.2 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 lateral veins obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obscurely veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 2.2–2.7 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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