Brachiaria bemarivensis

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent, or prostrate; 10–40 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1–5 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; subterete; 0.2–0.3 mm wide. Spikelet packing distant; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.5–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; turgidly plano-convex; obtuse; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; chartaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Bosser.

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