Paspalum thunbergii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms 40–90 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths 3–15 cm long; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 1 mm wide; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pilose; hairy at base.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal; 0.5–0.8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular, or obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2.5–2.7 mm long; 1.9–2.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume orbicular; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; orbicular; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; gibbous; 2.5–2.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Pacific: southwestern.

NOTES Paniceae. Koyama 1993.

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