MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE WEST INDIES 193 
79. PASPALUM L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 2: 855. 1759 
Spikelets plano-convex, usually obtuse, subsessile, solitary or in 
pairs, in two rows on one side of a narrow or dilated rachis, the back 
of the fertile lemma toward it; first glume usually wanting; second 
elume and sterile lemma commonly about equal, the former rarely 
wanting; fertile lemma usually obtuse, chartaceous-indurate, the 
margins inrolled. Annuals or perennials, with one to many spike- 
like racemes, these single or paired at the summit of the culms or 
racemosely arranged along the main axis. 
Full synonymy and more complete descriptions are to be found in 
the North American Species of Paspalum.*” 
Rachis membranaceous or foliaceous, mostly broad and winged. 
Spikelets clothed with long silky hairs; rachis brightly colored. (Subgenus 
CERESIA.) 
Culms simple; racemes solitary or paired______-.-___-_- 1. P. STELLATUM. 
Culms branching; racemes not paired, 2 to 7 on the main culm, solitary 
OMe thers ran Chess paves werden ule Oy yes Let a 2. P. HETEROTRICHON, 
Spikelets glabrous (or minutely pubescent in P. repens); rachis green or dul). 
Plants perennial. 
Racemes persistent on the axis; rachis with a spikelet at the apex. Second 
glume developed. 
Spikelets 2 mm long, obovate-oval________--_----- 3. P. DISSECTUM. 
Spikelets more than 3 mm long, pointed___________-_ 4. P. SERRATUM. 
Racemes falling from the axis; rachis extending beyond the uppermost 
SIL t aewenee meas yea lies apes eeu ely y  L ely Balan la kya 5. P. REPENS. 
LEVEY Gv RS} GPE ON 2H EU saa el AC gal lg ge i hs a 6. P. RACEMOSUM. 
Rachis not membranaceous, foliaceous, nor winged. (Slightly winged in a few 
species but spikelets not silky.) 
Inflorescence a large flabellate panicle of numerous racemes. Spikelets solitary. 
Spikelets glabrous or minutely ciliate___._-_--___- 59. P. FASCICULATUM. 
Spikelets obscured by their long silky hairs__._-_-_-_-_ 75. P. SACCHAROIDES. 
Inflorescence not flabellate. 
Racemes 2, conjugate or nearly so at the summit of the culm, rarely a third 
below. 
Spikelets elliptic to narrowly ovate. 
Plants with creeping rhizomes or stolons. 
Second glume pubescent; spikelets relatively turgid_ 9. P. pisticuuM. 
Second glume and sterile lemma glabrous; spikelets flattened. 
Blades erect or ascending, involute-setaceous__ 8. P. DISTACHYON. 
Blades spreading, tapering from base to apex, the margins in- 
IVOLULC! EL a Byte Saul Wane yw eR 7. P. VAGINATUM. 
Plants tufted, not rhizomatous or stoloniferous. 
Spikelets not transversely wrinkled____________-_- 16. P. LINEARE. 
Spikelets transversely wrinkled__--___.________-_ 44. P. INSULARE. 
Spikelets suborbicular, broadly ovate, or obovate. 
Spikelets concavo-convex, sparsely long-silky around the margins; plant 
SEOLOMTRERO USM eel hr aie Ua is ea 56. P. CONJUGATUM. 
Spikelets plano-convex (rarely biconvex, not silky margined; plants not 
stoloniferous). 
Plants annual, small, slender; spikelets not more than 1.5 mm long. 
Spikelets orbicular, some of them beaded with globular hairs. 
48. P. MULTICAULE. 
Spikelets obovate, glabrous or minutely pubescent. 
49. P. CLAVULIFERUM. 
Plants perennial; spikelets 1.8 to 3 mm long, solitary. 
Spikelets golden brown, transversely marked with dark lines. 
15. P. SERPENTINUM. 
Spikelets green, not marked. 
Rhizome stout, horizontal, forming tough sod. 
Spikelets;'2:5)to3:mm long. 3222512. 2.2 12. P. NoTaTum. 
Spikelets less than 2.5 mm long____________- 13. P. MINUs. 
Rhizome none or short and vertical_________ 14. P. pumILuM.. 
%’ Contrib. U.S. Natl. Herb. 28: 1-310. 1929. 
