Brachiaria clavipila

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–4 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; pilose on surface (with clavate hairs). Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1–2 -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; acute; 3–4.5 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; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface pubescent; with clavate hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface pubescent; with clavate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; pilose; with clavate hairs; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pubescent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate; pubescent. Palea involute; coriaceous; without keels.

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.