Paspalum alcalinum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 80–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–6 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades erect; 15–50 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–12; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–7 cm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; acute; 3 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; yellow, or light brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; yellow, or light brown; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; gibbous; 3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. FL Prov Buenos Aires 2000.

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