Paspalum fimbriatum Kunth

Panama paspalum, fimbriate paspalum


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Paspalum = "millet" [Greek] some species are used as cereals
Species etymology: fimbriatum = "fringe possessing" [Latin] refering to the spikelets
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1916

Map

 Distribution of Paspalum fimbriatum in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Paspalum fimbriatum in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Paspalum fimbriatum Inflorescence

Plant

Paspalum fimbriatum Plant

Spikelets

Paspalum fimbriatum Spikelets
Paspalum fimbriatum Spikelets
Paspalum fimbriatum Spikelets
Paspalum fimbriatum Spikelets

Description

Plants annual. Culms 15-70 cm, erect; nodes glabrous or pubescent. Sheaths pubescent, sometimes sparsely so; ligules 1-1.9 mm; blades to 35 cm long, 1.9-16.2 mm wide, flat, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, margins ciliate basally. Panicles terminal, with 2-8 racemosely arranged branches; branches 2-6.4 cm, diverging to erect; branch axes 0.9-1.6 mm wide, winged, glabrous, margins scabrous, terminating in a spikelet. Spikelets 2.5-3.5 mm long, 2.4-3 mm wide, paired, appressed to the branch axes, suborbicular, stramineous. Lower glumes absent; upper glumes and lower lemmas 1.9-2.1 mm, ovate, winged, 1-veined, margins ciliate-lacerate; upper florets 1.7-1.9 mm, stramineous. Caryopses 0.9-1.1 mm, orbicular, white. 2n = 20.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S. & Piep, M.B. (eds.) 2003. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783 pp http://floranorthamerica.org/Paspalum_fimbriatum )

Annuals; culms weakly tufted, yellowish green, erect, 3-6 dm tall, glabrous. Sheaths 4-6 cm long, compressed, long-hispid, the basal ones often purple; ligule delicate, membranous, ca. | mm long, + lacerate; blades flat, 8-20 cm long, 5-15 mm wide, sinuate, conspicuously hispid-ciliate, upper surface scabrous and with a tuft of long hairs at base. Racemes 3-5, widely spaced, alternate, ascending or somewhat reflexed with age, 3-5 cm long, hispid at base, peduncle slender, compressed, glabrous, 6- 9 cm long, rachis winged, ca. 2 mm wide; spikelets tinged reddish purple, orbicular to ovate, 2-3 mm long, glabrous, caducous; first glume absent, second glume ca. 2 mm long, + with broad, stiff, lacerate margins with short prickles; first lemma 2.5-3 mm long, always with lacerate margins, the prominent midnerve shortly prolonged beyond apex; second lemma cartilaginous, indurate, orbicular-ovate, ca. 2 mm long, glabrous; palea similar to and slightly shorter than lemma, and included within it, margins flat, membranous. Caryopsis whitish, broadly ovate, compressed, 1.7-2 mm long, 1.2-1.5 mm wide. [22 = 20.]
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )