Paspalum vaginatum Sw.
saltwater paspalum
Decumbent perennials, with numerous, long-creeping stolons, bearing very wide, loose, papery sheaths at nodes; erect shoots often in close tufts, much-branched near base. Leaf-sheath submembranous, glabrous; apex extended upwards at each margin and fused with ligule. Ligule 0.5-1 mm, scarcely tapered, shortly bluntly pointed, glabrous. Collar with small tufts of hairs. Leaf-blade 3-8 cm × 1-2 mm, rather stiff, much narrower than sheath, ± inrolled, narrow-linear, glabrous, tapering to acuminate tip. Culm (3)-7.5-18-(30) cm, erect or geniculate-ascending, slender, compressed, internodes glabrous. Panicle of 2-(3) erect to spreading racemes ± digitate at culm apex. Racemes 2-3 cm, distinctly pedunculate; rachis < 1 mm wide, scarcely winged, ± glabrous, bearing 2 rows of single, subsessile spikelets. Spikelets 3-4 mm, imbricate, elliptic, tapered above to acute or acuminate tip, light green to light brown, glabrous. Lower glume 0, upper = lemma of lower floret, 3-nerved. Lower floret: lemma 3-nerved; palea 0. Upper floret: lemma c. 3 mm, indurated, faintly 3-nerved, glabrous, shining, light creamy brown; palea = lemma, margins flattened, very slightly incurved; anthers 1.7-1.9 mm, yellow to brownish; caryopsis c. 1.5 mm.
N.: North and South Auckland, Gisborne. Coastal, often brackish, areas; often forming swards near edge of mud flats, or on sandy and shingly shores and occasionally spreading into pasture nearby.
Naturalised from Europe.
INCERTAE SEDIS
Paspalum tenax Trin., Gram. Pan. 122 (1826), was based on a specimen collected by Lindley from N.Z. which has not been traced.
