Paspalum pilosum Lam.

synonyms: Paspalum unispicatum [misapplied in Hawai'i]


hairy paspalum


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Paspalum = "millet" [Greek] some species are used as cereals
Species etymology: pilosum = "abundance of hairs" [Latin] refering to the hairy leaves
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 2007

Map

 Distribution of Paspalum pilosum in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Paspalum pilosum Inflorescence
Paspalum pilosum Inflorescence
Paspalum pilosum Inflorescence
Paspalum pilosum Inflorescence

Plant

Paspalum pilosum Plant
Paspalum pilosum Plant

Habit

Paspalum pilosum Habit

Spikelets

Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets
Paspalum pilosum Spikelets

Landscape

Paspalum pilosum Landscape
Paspalum pilosum Landscape

Axillary inflorescence

Paspalum pilosum Axillary inflorescence

Description

Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 50-130 cm long; 1-3 mm diam. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous to pilose. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 3-6 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6-2.5 mm long; brown. Collar glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-blades 10-25 cm long; 5-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous; keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Inflorescences: Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above. Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 6-12 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; folded longitudinally to embrace spikelets; 1-1.5 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing irregular. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 1 mm long; pubescent. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.6-3.2 mm long; falling entire. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.6-3.2 mm long; falling entire. Glumes: Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, or oblate; 0.5-2 mm long; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume ovate; 2.4-3 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Florets: Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 4-5 -veined; without midvein, or with evident midvein. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5-2.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Flowers: Anthers 3; 1-1.2 mm long; purple. Fruits: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Distribution: North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.
(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 )