Paspalum umbrosum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms geniculately ascending; 80–100 cm long; 2–6 -noded. Culm-nodes brown; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths without keel; striately veined; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 10–30 cm long; 8–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 9–18; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5–0.8 mm wide; scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins, or ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.7–1 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.5–1.7 mm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 1.5–1.7 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; light brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fonseca 1995.

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