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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Paspalum trachycoleon

HABIT Perennial. Culms leaning, or rambling; 100–200 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample; arising from mid culm and upper culm. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; brown. Leaf-blades 10–18 cm long; 8–15 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–14; borne along a central axis; linear, or lanceolate; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis pubescent. Rhachis broadly winged; herbaceous; 4–5 mm wide; drab, or dark-coloured (green or purple). Spikelet packing crowded. Raceme-bases brief; hirsute.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.2–2.5 mm long; 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; 2–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy below; with marginal tufts of hair (single 2–3mm hair). Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume hairs 1 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; sulcate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.2 mm long; 0.9 mm wide; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent (a few hairs). Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate; pubescent. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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