Brachiaria wittei

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–40 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete; striate. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; without keel; striately veined; pubescent; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2–6 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins crenate; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; 0.75 mm wide; pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs purple. Spikelet packing crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acuminate; 3.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus brief.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein obscure. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins villous. Upper glume hairs purple. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; villous; bearing purple hairs; acuminate. Fertile lemma 2.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Agrost Congo Belge 2000.

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