Brachiaria dimorpha

HABIT Perennial; short-lived. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–25 cm long. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear; 1–2 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.3–0.9 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–5 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–2 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume margins tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; sulcate; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface unwrinkled. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 22004.

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