Brachiaria humbertiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; woody. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–60 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–10 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–12 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; distant; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform, or linear; 1–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; subacute; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Bosser.

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