Brachiaria perrieri

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; slender; 10–45 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 1–3 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–12; borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 0.5–1.8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2.5–7 cm long; pilose. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.3–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 2–3 mm long; with hairs extending 0.5 mm beyond apex; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–0.7 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair. 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; pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0.5–1 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Bosser.

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