Riceweeds en - Poaceae - Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

PASSC

Poaceae

Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

Grass

Semi-tufted, straggling perennial, roots at lower nodes, up to 60cm high.

Usually rounded, flattened at the base, slender, smooth and sometimes purplish below.

Linear, about 15-25cm long and 1-1.5cm wide, rounded, clasping at the stem at the base and may or may not be hairy on both surfaces. Ligule membranous, brownish and about o.5mm long; sheath is dark green and has some hairs at the tips below the blades.

2-4 or occasionally six , flattened ribbon-like racemes each about 8cm long and 2-3mm wide, which bears 2 rows of rounded and flattened spikelets about 2mm in diameter, that are greenish yellow, and become dull reddish-brown and fall at maturity.

Reproduces from Seeds.

Widespread in West Africa and East Africa.

Burkina Faso: Frequent and usually abundant.
Cote d'Ivoire: Frequent and usually abundant.
Ghana: Frequent and usually abundant.
Mali: Rare and not abundant.
Nigeria: Rare and not abundant.
Senegal: Rare but abondant when present.
Chad: Rare and not abundant.
Tanzania: Frequent and not usually abundant.

Management options: http://www.afroweeds.org/network/pg/file/read/1902/general-guidelines-for-weed-management-in-lowland-rice

Akobundu I.O. and Agyakwa C.W (1998): A Handbook of West African Weeds. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.512p.