Brachiaria dictyoneura

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent. Culms 40–100 cm long; without nodal roots. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–30 cm long; 3–10(–30) mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8(–12); borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–25 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular. 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; 4–6 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 11 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface 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; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–5.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse, or apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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