Brachiaria distachyoides

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 30–45 cm long; 4–6 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long; tip filiform. Rhachis broadly winged; with sharp-edged midrib; 1–1.5 mm wide; scaberulous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; subacute; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. 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; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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