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Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Paspalum prostratum
HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 30–75 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades 8–12 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes 3–15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–3.7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–15 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis; broadly winged; foliaceous; folded longitudinally to embrace spikelets; 2.5–3 mm wide; terminating in a barren extension; extension flattened; extension 3–5 mm long. Spikelet packing abaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.1–2.2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.
FLOWER Anthers 3.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: northern South America and western South America.
NOTES Paniceae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.