Brachiaria advena

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Stolons absent, or present. Culms decumbent; 40–120 cm long; 3–5 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths loose; striately veined. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–7 cm long; pubescent, or pilose. Rhachis wingless; angular; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; subequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; turgidly plano-convex; obtuse; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 2.25 mm long; indurate; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Vickery.

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