Paspalum rupestre

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming, or caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 10–44 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; keeled; glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades tortuous; flat, or conduplicate; 3–12 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 1.2–4.5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 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; 2–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. 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; 2–3 -veined; without midvein, or with evident midvein; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1–1.5 mm long; indurate; light brown; without keel. 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.