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Descriptions

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

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

Brachiaria holosericea

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 15–23 cm long. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or conduplicate; 1–4 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2.25 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–7 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long; scabrous; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 2.5–3 mm long; with hairs extending 1–1.5 mm beyond apex; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair. Upper glume hairs 2.5 mm long. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; sulcate; pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair; bearing hairs 2.5 mm long; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 2–2.5 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

FRUIT Caryopsis orbicular; 1.25–1.5 mm long; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Lazarides.

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