Brachiaria umbellata

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 8–15 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–3 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–2 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular. Raceme-bases filiform; 0.2–10 mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

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; 0.15–0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1–1.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; coriaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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