Brachiaria ramosa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 10–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–25 cm long; 4–14 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–8 cm long; simple, or with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 3–10 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 1–2 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of fertile spikelet.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute, or cuspidate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus brief, or square; 0–0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous, or coriaceous (rarely); 5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 2–3 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, Arabia, and China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Australasia: Australia. North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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