Brachiaria lindiensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–60 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades ovate; 4–7 cm long; 7–13 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade margins serrulate (towards base).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1–4; single, or borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–3 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; distant; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 4–6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; 0.7 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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