Brachiaria turbinata

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long; 7–9 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2.5–9 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate; spinulose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–9 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; setose (4–9mm hairs); tip oblique.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate (turbinate); dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 3 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.7–0.8 mm long; pubescent; base pungent; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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