Author
Joshua Roy
Caryopses
yellow, 1.9-2.1 mm long
Culms
erect, 5-65 cm
Electronic links
Grass Manual on the Web generic and species treatment:
http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/
The PLANTS Database species profile:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PADI6
World Grass Species homepage:
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/grasses-db.html
World Grass Species species treatment:
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/grasses-db/www/imp07509.htm
Ecology
Grows on the edges of lakes, ponds, rice fields, and wet roadside ditches. It is native in warm regions throughout the world, being most abundant in humid areas.
Family
Poaceae
Flowering period
Summer, Fall
Geographic distribution
Southward from Pennsylvaina, to Missouri, Utah and Washington; mostly in warm, humid regions throughout the world.
Inflorescences
Panicles: terminal, usually composed of a digitate pair of branches, a third branch sometimes present below
Branches: 1.4-7 cm, diverging, often arcuate, rachis 1.2-2.2 mm wide, winged, glaborus, margins scabrous, with a terminal spikelet
Leaves
Ligules: membranous, 1-2 mm;
Sheaths: Glaborus, with a few long hairs distally
Blades: to 14 cm long, 1.8- 11.5 mm wide, flat or conduplicate, glabrous or pubescent, apices involute.
Recognition factors
Grows on the edges of lakes, ponds, rice fields, and wet roadside ditches; mostly two inflorescence branches; rachis winged; spikelets in two rows; terminal spikelet well developed; tiny first glume usually present.
References
Allen, C. M., D. A. Newman, and H. Winters. 2004. Grasses of Louisiana, 3rd edition. Allen's Native Ventures, LLC.,
Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2002 onwards). World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval. http://www.kew.org/data/grasses–db.html. [accessed 04 December 2006; 15:30 GMT].
Godfrey, R. K. and J. W. Wooten. 1979. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of
Allen, C. M.and D.W. Hall. 2003. Paspalum L. In: Flora of North America North of
USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 4 December 2006).
Rhizomes; stolons
Rhizomatous, clumped
Spikelets
Spikelets: 2.4-3.2 mm long, 1.1-1.6 mm wide, solitary (rarely paired), appressed to the branch axes, broadly elliptic, strammineous, sometimes partially purple.
Lower glumes: absent or, if present, to 1 mm and triangular
Upper glumes: sparsely and shortly pubescent on the back, 3-veined
Lower lemmas: glabrous, 3-veined
Upper florets: Fertile, bisexual, straw colored
Synonyms
Digitaria paspaloides Michx;
Paspalum distichum L. var. indutum Shinners
Paspalum paspaloides (Michx.) Scribn.