Brachiaria nana

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 5–20 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1–5 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate; tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle glabrous.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–2 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.7–1.2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 2.2–2.7 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; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; sulcate; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. 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.