Brachiaria pungipes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 50–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–12 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; villous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1–2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; tip oblique.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate (turbinate); dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; base pungent; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FZ.

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