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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Brachiaria platynota

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 45–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–35 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (1–)2–3(–5); borne along a central axis; arcuate; unilateral; 3–13 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–15 cm long; tip without extension, or filiform. Rhachis broadly winged; folded longitudinally to embrace spikelets; (1–)2–4 mm wide; scaberulous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed strongly; acute; 3.5–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; without hair tufts, or with a dorsal tuft of hair. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 7–9 -veined; with cross-veins; sulcate (thinly membranous); glabrous, or pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.2–0.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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