Brachiaria fragrans

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 40–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades elliptic; 12–14 cm long; 15–20 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–6 cm long. Rhachis ciliate on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–2 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.4 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; sulcate; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long, or 5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface unwrinkled. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 22004.

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