Tufted perennial; culms robust, 40–180 cm. high. Leaf-blades linear, 6–45 cm. long, 3–12 mm. wide. Inflorescence composed of (2–)3–5(–11) racemes borne along a common axis 2–20 cm. long, each raceme 4–11 cm. long, the spikelets paired in 2–4 rows on a rhachis ± 1.2 mm. wide. Spikelets ovate, 2.8–3.8 mm. long, yellowish green; upper glume as long as the spikelet, sparsely pilose on the surface, ciliate on the margins; lower lemma similar, but not ciliate; upper lemma papillose-striate, pallid at maturity.
Range
DISTR. T3, 7 South America, now established in most tropical countries
Altitude range
1500 m.
Distribution
TANZANIA Lushoto District Jaegertal, 16 Jan. 1966, Archbold 650!TANZANIA Iringa District Iheme, 12 Dec. 1936, McGregor 29!
Notes
P. urvillei Steud. is another widely introduced South American weed, which seems not yet to be established in the Flora area. Like P. dilatatum it has ciliate spikelets, but these are 2–3 mm. long and borne on 10–18 racemes.
