Brachiaria falcifera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 30–45 cm long; 1 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 7–25 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–3; borne along a central axis; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 1.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–2 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with sharp-edged midrib; 0.6–0.8 mm wide; setose on margins. Rhachis hairs yellow; 1–2 mm long. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.7–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pilose. 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; pilose; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–3 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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