Brachiaria texana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 40–120 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; flat, or conduplicate; 8–20 cm long; 7–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 3–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 7–18 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 5–6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. North America: north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas.

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