Brachiaria adspersa

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–100 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–15 cm long; 8–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acuminate; 3.2–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins without cross-veins, or with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; without cross-veins, or with cross-veins; pubescent; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA. South America: Caribbean, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr W Indies.

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