Brachiaria kurzii

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 15–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–8 cm long; 8–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5–7.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–8 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; distant; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; scabrous.

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

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.8–1 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.25 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 2.25 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Assam.

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