Paspalum saugetii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; tortuous; 15–40 cm long; wiry. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades tortuous; flat, or conduplicate; 3–15 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1(–2); single, or paired; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide; glabrous on surface, or puberulous on surface.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.3–1.6 mm long; 1–1.1 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 pubescent. 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; 3 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.3–1.6 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA. South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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