Paspalum subsesquiglume

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 30–100 cm long. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 5–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–12; borne along a central axis; ascending, or drooping; unilateral; 1–8 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; flattened; 0.8–1 mm wide. Spikelet packing crowded; 3–4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.5–1.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 0.2–0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–1.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface papillose.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Renvoize 1995.

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