Paspalum tinctum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–150 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 15–40 cm long; 4–10 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 15–18; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–6 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; flattened; 1.5–2 mm wide; dark-coloured (purple). Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2.4–2.6 mm long; 1.7 mm wide; 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; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; glabrous, or puberulous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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