GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Brachiaria pubigera

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 20–60 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.7–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–18 cm long; 4–16 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–9 cm long; bearing 8–30 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 6–18 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.3–0.8 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 3.5–4.6 mm long; 1.4–1.7 mm wide; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; 0.4–0.8 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.7–2.8 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous, or cartilaginous; 5–7 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3.2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster.

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