Paspalum standleyi

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 10–32 cm long; 0.5–1 mm diam. Culm-internodes with small lumen; distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades 2.5–7 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–5; digitate; unilateral; 1–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–1 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened; 0.5–0.6 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed strongly; acute; 1.4–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 2 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 2 -veined; without midvein. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.2–1.3 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; coriaceous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–0.9 mm long; dehiscent by a longitudinal slit, or dehiscent by a subapical slit; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana and western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costaric 1994.

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