Brachiaria ruziziensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms decumbent; 50–100 cm long; 3–4 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–25 cm long; 11–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (3–)5–7(–9); borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–12 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; foliaceous; with rounded midrib; 2–3.5 mm wide; ciliate 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 slightly; cuspidate; 4–5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy above; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.5–5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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