Paspalum uyucense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty; hairy. Culms erect; 40–65 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 8–15 cm long; 8–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; digitate; unilateral; 4–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–2 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.3–0.4 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 3–4 mm long. 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 elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 1.4–1.5 mm long; 0.9–1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1.3 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; glabrous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1–1.3 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface striate; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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