Paspalum turriforme

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pilose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; robust; 200–300 cm long; 4–8 mm diam. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5 mm long; brown; lacerate. Leaf-blades 40–95 cm long; 12–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 40–150; borne along a central axis; ascending, or drooping; unilateral; 7–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15–40 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; 1.2–1.5 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 4–6 mm long. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 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 obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.6 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costaric 1994.

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