Environmental Engineering Reference
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Fig. 2.6. Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum). Leaves folded in the bud; ligule
a short membrane; collar constricted, broad, sparse long hairs at the edges; auricles
absent; sheaths compressed, sparsely hairy; blades flat or folded, 4-6 mm wide,
sparsely hairy, tapering to points; seed-head two slender spikes originating at the top
of the main stem; spikelets blunt at the base, rounded at the centre, and tapering to
blunt tips, each with a single seed. (Drawing by R. Castro.)
seed head. Besides P. vaginatum , only Bahia grass ( Paspalum notatum ) has
a forking seed head, but Bahia grass is easily recognized by its substan-
tially coarser leaves and much more open, transparent turf cover. In some
parts of the world, such as South America and Asia, paspalum is used on
golf course greens and tees. When mowed systematically, often twice a
day, at heights of 3-4 mm, paspalum produces a very dense, excellent
putting surface, sometimes better than those of hybrids of cynodon. One
of the outstanding characteristics of paspalum is its tolerance to saline
soils and saltwater spray. Along the ocean coast it also tolerates regular
flooding with seawater. Some cultivars may carry on under saltwater
irrigation. Paspalum needs less fertilizer than cynodon. Seashore paspa-
lum can grow under conditions of low nutrient availability and severe
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