Paspalum paniculatum L.
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Common name
Russell River Grass
Derivation
Paspalum L., Syst. Nat. 10th edn, 855 (1759); from the Greek paspalos
(a kind of millet).
paniculatum- from the Latin panus (thread), -ula (diminutive) and -ata (possessing). Inflorescence open with thread-like pedicels.
Published in
Syst. Nat. 10th edn, 855 (1759).
Habit
Perennial, tufted. Cataphylls present. Stolons absent. Culms erect, 30215
cm tall, 27-noded. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparsely
branched. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheaths outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath
auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 23 mm long. Leaf-blades
850 cm long, 630 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, hairy.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes few or numerous, 760,
spreading, unilateral, 412 cm long, 0.30.6 mm wide, bearing 90180
fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 520(30) cm
long. Rhachis wingless or narrowly winged, angular, 0.5 mm wide. Spikelet packing
regular, 4-rowed.
Spikelets
Spikelets in pairs. Pedicels 0.31.2 mm long. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered,
comprising 1 fertile floret, lower floret sterile, upper fertile, without rhachilla
extension, orbicular, dorsally compressed, plano-convex, obtuse, 1.31.4
mm long, falling entire.
Glumes
Glume 1 (the lower absent or obscure), thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume
orbicular, 1.31.4 mm long, 100% of length of spikelet, hyaline or
membranous, dark brown, 3-nerved. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume
margins eciliate. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret
similar to upper glume, elliptic, 1.31.4 mm long, 100% of length of
spikelet, membranous, 3-nerved, puberulous, obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular,
gibbous, hemispherical, 11.4 mm long, indurate, pallid. Lemma surface
striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute, cartilaginous
or indurate. Anthers 0.50.8 mm long.
Continental Distribution:
Africa, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America, South America.
Australian Distribution:
Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Wide Bay, Moreton. New South Wales: North Coast, North-Western Slopes.
Classification. (GPWG
2001):
Panicoideae: Paniceae
Notes
Introduced. A weedy species which prefers moist sites from forest margins to
marshy areas. Flowers Feb.Aug.
Inflorescence (photo)
© E.Anderson