Poaceae
Paspalum

Paspalum almum Chase

First published in J. Washington Acad. Sci. 23: 137 (1933)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Cuba, W. Central & S. Brazil to NE. Argentina. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 25-50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2(-3); paired; unilateral; 4-9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5-1.5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; flattened; 1 mm wide. Spikelet packing abaxial; 3 -rowed. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate, or obovate; dorsally compressed; subacute; 2.9-3.4 mm long; 1.8-2 mm wide; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate, or obovate; dorsally compressed; subacute; 2.9-3.4 mm long; 1.8-2 mm wide; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.9-3.4 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: south-central USA. South America: Brazil and southern South America.
Reference
Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0