Paspalum paniculatum L.

Russell River Grass, panicled paspalum


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Paspalum = "millet" [Greek] some species are used as cereals
Species etymology: paniculatum = "having a panicle" [Latin] refering to the inflorescence
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1939

Map

 Distribution of Paspalum paniculatum in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Paspalum paniculatum in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence
Paspalum paniculatum Inflorescence

Plant

Paspalum paniculatum Plant
Paspalum paniculatum Plant
Paspalum paniculatum Plant
Paspalum paniculatum Plant
Paspalum paniculatum Plant

Spikelets

Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets
Paspalum paniculatum Spikelets

Collar

Paspalum paniculatum Collar
Paspalum paniculatum Collar
Paspalum paniculatum Collar
Paspalum paniculatum Collar

Description

Plants perennial; cespitose or rhizomatous. Culms to 100 cm, erect; nodes pubescent. Sheaths pubescent; ligules 0.2-0.5 mm; blades 12-35 cm long, 10-24 mm wide, flat, scabrous, pubescent near the margins, margins usually undulate. Panicles terminal, with 18-50 racemosely arranged branches; branches 0.8-8.9 cm, spreading to diverging, often arcuate; branch axes 0.2-0.5 mm wide, narrowly winged, scabrous, terminating in a spikelet. Spikelets 1.1-1.3 mm long, 0.9-1 mm wide, paired, diverging from the branch axes, ovate, light brown to stramineous. Lower glumes absent; upper glumes and lower lemmas pubescent, 3-veined; upper florets 1.1-1.3 mm, stramineous. Caryopses 0.7-0.8 mm, light brown. 2n = 20, 40, 60.
(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_paniculatum )