Paspalum usteri

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly; hairy. Culms 100–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 10–20 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes few, or numerous; 15–60; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–20 cm long. Rhachis angular; glabrous on surface, or pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.5–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins tuberculate; ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Quarin 1995.

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