Paspalum mandiocanum Trin. var. mandiocanum

Map

Inflorescence

Plant

Habit

Spikelets

Landscape

Node

Collar

Description

Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 45-125 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10-30 cm long; 8-17 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute. Inflorescences: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3-9 cm long. Rhachis angular; 1 mm wide. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2-2.1 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; falling entire. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2-2.1 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 elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2-2.1 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Flowers: Anthers 3. Fruits: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Distribution: 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 )