Genus : |
PASPALUM |
|---|---|
Family : |
POACEAE |
Species of this Genus
Description
Annual
or perennial grasses, culms tufted or with creeping rhizomes or stolons. Leaf-blades linear to linear-lanceolate,
ligules membranous. Inflorescence of spike-like racemes, single or digitate or
racemosely arranged, rachis triquetrous. Spikelets orbicular, secund,
plano-convex, 2-4 rowed, disarticulating below glumes; glumes unequal, lower
glume absent, upper glume herbaceous, as long as spikelets; lower floret
sterile, upper floret perfect; lower lemma herbaceous, flat; upper lemma indurate,
margin inrolled; palea usually absent in lower floret. Lodicules 2, truncate.
Stamens 3. Caryopsis elliptic to orbicular.
Key to the species
| Serial | Key | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1a. | Spikelets arranged in four rows upon a broad rachis | P. longifolium |
| 1b. | Spikelets arranged in two rows | 2 |
| 2a. | Spikelets fringed with fine white hairs from the margins of the upper glume | P. conjugatum |
| 2b. | Spikelets glabrous or pubescent, not ciliate on the margins of the upper glume | 3 |
| 3a. | Plants tufted; racemes 3-5, subdigitate or on a short axis; spikelets rotundate-elliptic, broadly obovate or suborbicular, obtuse, solitary or paired | P. scrobiculatum |
| 3b. | Plants with long creeping stolons and/or rhizomes; racemes 2 (-3), paired; spikelets lanceolate to ovate or obovate, solitary | 4 |
| 4a. | Upper glume pubescent; spikelets plano-convex, obovate oblong, twice as long as broad; lower lemma with prominent median nerve | P. distichum |
| 4b. | Upper glume entirely glabrous; spikelets strongly flattened, lanceolate oblong, thrice as long as broad; lower lemma faintly nerved | P. vaginatum |