Brachiaria brevispicata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 15–45 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or involute; 3–5 cm long; 6–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins crenate; scabrous, or spinulose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1.5–2.5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 0.5 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 3–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; clasping; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9–15 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

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

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FZ.

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