Brachiaria serpens

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms prostrate; slender; 2–5 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs, or absent. Leaf-blades 0.5–2 cm long; 0.8–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 0.3–0.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–9 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.2 mm wide. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.2–0.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. 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; 9–13 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. CEH.

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