Brachiaria lorentziana

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 10–30 cm long; 7–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–8 cm long; simple, or with branchlets at base of longer racemes; secondary branches glomerate. Central inflorescence axis 6–30 cm long; pilose. Rhachis wingless; angular; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing lax; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 3–3.3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Entre Rios.

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