Brachiaria decumbens

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 50–150 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 7–15 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–8 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; 1–1.7 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 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; subacute, or acute; 4–5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; obtuse, or acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-tropical: India and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: north-central. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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