Brachiaria distachya

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 5–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2–8 cm long; 3–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; glabrous 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; acute; 2.4–3 mm long; falling entire. 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; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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