Paspalum arundinaceum Poir.

cane paspalum


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Paspalum = "millet" [Greek] some species are used as cereals
Species etymology: arundinaceum = "reed like" [Latin] refering to the culms resembling a reed
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 2005

Map

 Distribution of Paspalum arundinaceum in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Paspalum arundinaceum Inflorescence
Paspalum arundinaceum Inflorescence

Plant

Paspalum arundinaceum Plant
Paspalum arundinaceum Plant
Paspalum arundinaceum Plant

Spikelets

Paspalum arundinaceum Spikelets
Paspalum arundinaceum Spikelets
Paspalum arundinaceum Spikelets

Landscape

Paspalum arundinaceum Landscape

Description

Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 75-150 cm long. Culm-nodes purple. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.3-1.8 mm long; setose from base of abaxial surface. Leaf-blades 35-50 cm long; 5-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Inflorescences: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 10-17 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6-10 cm long. Rhachis 0.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing 2 -rowed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5-1.5 mm long; scabrous. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.8-3.2 mm long; falling entire. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.8-3.2 mm long; falling entire. Glumes: Glumes one to two the lower present in some spikelets; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0-1.8 mm long; 0-0.5 length of spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. 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; obtuse. Fertile lemma obovate; 2.8-3.2 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate. Flowers: Anthers 3. Fruits: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Distribution: North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
(Description source: Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. Available at https://powo.science.kew.org )