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Paspalum plicatulum

Authority Michx. Family Liliopsida:Commelinidae:Cyperales:Gramineae Synonyms Common names Editor Ecocrop code 1628

Notes
DESCRIPTION: A tufted, decumbent to erect grass up to 1.2-1.3 m high with open tussocky habit. Leaves uasually about 10-85 cm long and 3-15 mm wide, folded at the base. USE: Used as pasture it will decrease under cotinuous grazing, but responds well to rests of about 30 days. It should be grazed when young. Can also be used for silage and as an understorey in coconut plantations, and in ley pastures following a rice crop. GROWING PERIOD: Summer-growing perennial. COMMON NAMES: Brown seed paspalum. FURTHER INF: Synonyms: P. undulatum, Panicum plicatulum. It is native of southern North America, Central and South America. It can be found at latitudes between 32°S and 31°N at elevations between sea level and 1500 m. Found in areas with annual rainfall between 760-3500 mm and annual average temperatures of 17-27°C. Optimum temperature for growth range between 9-23°C. Tops are burnt off by frost, but crowns survive. It is adapted to marshy or aquatic habitats, usually growing in shallow water and is suited to infertile coastal soils which are flooded in the wet season and then dry out rapidly. It tolerates short droughts, prolonged flooding and burning. Grows on a wide range of soils from poor to well-drained sands to clays, usually of low fertility and acid reaction - pH (4-) 4.5-5.5 (-7). It is fairly tolerant of high soil aluminium. Flower initiation occurred at bisbane at a day length of 13.1 hours. Dry matter yields may be between 8.5-24 t/ha.
Sources
Grassland Index Skerman P 1990 pp 579-584 [TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, DRA, TEXT, FER, PHO, LIG] Bogdan A 1977 pp 213-214 [RAIN, FER, DRA, KTMP] Bryant P 1973 pp 329-330 [KTMP, RAIN, FER] Mannetje L 1992 pp 183-185 [RAIN, DRA, TEMP, KTMP, TEXT, PH, LIG] Tropical forages 2005