Brachiaria oblita

HABIT Annual. Culms 30–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent to hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3.5–8 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle hirsute above.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–4 cm long; villous. Rhachis wingless; angular; villous on surface. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.5–2.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.8 mm long; 0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; with cross-veins; glabrous. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2.5–2.6 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Peru 1997.

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