Brachiaria schoenfelderi

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–80 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 3–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–15; borne along a central axis; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 1–3.5 cm long; with branchlets at base of longer racemes; secondary branches racemulose. Central inflorescence axis 5–12 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.2 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 2–3.4 mm long; with hairs extending 0.5 mm beyond apex; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 mm long; 0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; sulcate; villous; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; cartilaginous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr S Afr.

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