Brachiaria stigmatisata

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms decumbent; 30–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2.5–18 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate; scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–3; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2.5–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–5 cm long; tip without extension, or filiform. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 1 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1–2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; clasping; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 11 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; with cross-veins; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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