Paspalum distachyon Poir. ex Trin.

Paspalum dislachyon Poit.;Trin. M6m. Acad. St. Petersb. VI. 3^ : 142. 1834
Paspalum Schaffneri Griseb.; Fourn. Mex. PI. Gram. 6. 1881.
A perennial with long stout branched subterranean rootstocks, flat or involute leaf -blades, and pubescent spikelets. Stems 1-6 dm. tall; leaf-sheaths compressed, keeled, usually crowded and overlapping, especially at the base and on the innovations, glabrous or more or less hairy on the margins; blades commonly less than 1 dm. long, 3-6 mm. wide, usually glabrous; racemes terminal, in pairs at the apex of the stem, ascending, 2-5 cm. long, the rachis 1-1.5 mm. wide; spikelets singly disposed, ovate, 2.5-3 mm. long and 1-1.5 mm. wide, acute, the first scale wanting, or rarely present, the second and third scales firm, 5-nerved, or rarely 7-nerved, the second scale appressed-pubescent, the third scale glabrous, the fruiting scale apiculate, strongly pubescent at the apex, yellowish-white.
Type locality : Jamaica. , -^, .^ . ,^ . ^ ^i. t» -^
Distribution ■ New Jersey to Arizona, south to Florida and Mexico, and on the Pacinc coast
as far north as Washington ; Bermuda ; West Indies ; continental tropical America.