Paspalum petrense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–17 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; foliaceous; 7 mm wide; dark-coloured (green to purple).

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; subequal, or the lower smaller. Pedicels flattened; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; 1.1 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; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough at apex; hirsute; hairy below. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; hirsute; hairy below; ciliate on margins; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex pubescent. Palea involute; cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Burman 2001.

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