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PASPALIDIUM Stapf
Plants caespitose or rhizomatous, annual and perennial (ours). Culms erect, glabrous; internodes solid or
hollow, terete. Leaves not differentiated into two kinds (basal rosette absent), cauline, not distinctly
distichous; sheaths terete; ligules a ciliate membrane; blades flat. Panicles contracted with several
spicate primary unilateral branches; branches alternate, appressed, terminating in a bare point; bristles
subtending all spikelets or absent below all spikelets. Spikelets solitary, not embedded in branch, abaxial
, planoconvex or terete; disarticulation below spikelets; florets 2; lower sterile and staminate or
without stamen;, upper fertile, one half to equal lower floret length; first glumes present, not fused with
callus, encircling spikelet base, awnless; second glumes present, not saccate, 5- or 7- or 9- or
11-veined; lemma of upper florets indurate or cartilaginous, rugose, yellow, glabrous, margins
involute, not differentiated at apex, awnless; palea of upper florets present. Stamens 3; anthers purplish.
Base chromosome number of x=9.
A genus of about 35 species (mostly Australian). These taxa are adapted to dry slopes, forests or marshes.
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