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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 foliosa
HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 25–70 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes distally hirsute. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 4–15 cm long; 4–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; entire, or crenate. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or hirsute above.
Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–9 cm long; simple, or with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 3–12 cm long; pilose. Rhachis wingless; angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax; irregular.
Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–3 mm long; tip widened.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 5–6.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; 0.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes and elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation stout (wider than long below fertile floret); 0.5 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5–0.6 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex rostrate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Paniceae. Vickery.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
