GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Brachiaria echinulata

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–8 cm long; 4–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–7 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; angular; 0.5–1 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acuminate; 3–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface tuberculate; setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; tuberculate; setose; with tubercle-based hairs; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr W Indies.

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