Brachiaria stefaninii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rootstock evident. Cataphylls evident. Culms 25–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 3–4 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; ciliate. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 13–17 cm long.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 0.7–1.5 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; scaberulous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels 1–1.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.3 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. 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; 3.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; villous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. Chiov 1997.

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