Paspalum atabapense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 45–75 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths without keel; striately veined; pilose; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.2 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 6–18.5 cm long; 0.3–0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 4–17 cm long; glabrous.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 3–9.5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.4–0.5 mm wide; glabrous on surface, or puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing abaxial. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.1–0.3 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.6–3.6 mm long; 1–1.3 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 2.4–3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; pubescent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.6–3.5 mm long; 1–1.3 mm wide; chartaceous; yellow; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; chartaceous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.9 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.4–1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Davidse & Zu 1994.

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