Brachiaria whiteana

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–50 cm long; 3–7 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long; bearing 8–20 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 3–9 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.4–0.7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 3–3.5 mm long; 1.3–1.6 mm wide; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret, or elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, or obovate; 1.5–1.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.3–2.8 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster.

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