Paspalum macrophyllum Kunth

Map

Specimen

Description

Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pilose. Culms 100-150 cm long. Lateral branches sparse; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15-39 cm long; 15-25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate. Inflorescences: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5-10 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 2-2.7 mm long; 1.4 mm wide; falling entire. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 2-2.7 mm long; 1.4 mm wide; falling entire. Glumes: Glumes one to two the lower present in some spikelets; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 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; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3-5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2-2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose and striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Fruits: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Distribution: Pacific: north-central. South America: northern South America and western 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 )