Brachyachne

HABIT Annual (8), or perennial (1). Stolons absent (8), or present (1). Culms erect (5/8), or geniculately ascending (1/8), or decumbent (2/8), or prostrate (1/8); slender (1/1); 5–28.22–70 cm long; without nodal roots (1/2), or rooting from lower nodes (2/2). Lateral branches lacking (2/3), or ample (1/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane (2), or a ciliolate membrane (6), or a ciliate membrane (1). Leaf-blades filiform (2), or linear (6), or lanceolate (1); stiff (1), or firm (8). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (8), or a spatheole (1); exserted (8), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1), or enclosed (1). Spatheole lanceolate (1/1).

Racemes single (2), or paired (1), or digitate (6); unilateral. Rhachis persistent (6/7), or deciduous from axis (1/7); flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension (4), or with a barren rhachilla extension (5). Spikelets elliptic (1), or oblong; laterally compressed; 1.8–3.17–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent (1/2), or pilose (1/2).

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture (1), or firmer than fertile lemma (8). Lower glume lanceolate (1), or elliptic (1), or oblong (7); 1 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (2), or cartilaginous (1), or coriaceous (5); without keels (1), or 1-keeled (8); wingless (8), or winged on keel (1); 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface convex (8), or grooved on either side of midvein (1); without pits; glabrous (8), or pilose (1). Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic (2), or oblong; 1.2–1.6–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (2), or cartilaginous (1), or coriaceous (5), or indurate (1); with undifferentiated margins (7), or hyaline margins (1), or membranous margins (1); without keels (1), or 1-keeled (8); wingless (8), or winged on keel (1); 1 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth (8), or asperulous (1); glabrous (7), or pilose (2). Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic (2), or oblong (2), or ovate (6); laterally compressed; hyaline (1), or membranous (8); keeled; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate (3), or ciliate (4), or pubescent (2). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (6), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (2); without hair tufts (7), or with marginal hair tufts (1), or with tufts of hair on midvein (1), or with a transverse fringe of hair (1). Lemma margins eciliate (2), or ciliate (6), or pubescent (1). Lemma apex entire (8), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); emarginate (2), or truncate (2), or obtuse (7); muticous (5), or mucronate (4). Palea 0.8–0.9–1 length of lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (8); 2 -veined. Palea keels separated (7), or approximate (2); wingless (8), or winged (1); smooth (7), or scaberulous (2); eciliate (2), or pubescent (1), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (5).

FLOWER Anthers 3 (6/6).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (7/7); ellipsoid (2/4), or ovoid (1/4), or obovoid (1/4); pitted (1/1). Embryo 0.5–0.625–0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa (5), or Tropical Asia (1), or Australasia (4).

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.