Brachyachne simonii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths withering. Culms erect; 50–60 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; filiform; conduplicate, or involute; 3–9 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; straight; unilateral; 6.5–8 cm long. Rhachis flattened; 0.4 mm wide; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2.8–3.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; subequal in width; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; parallel to lemmas. Lower glume oblong; 2.8–3.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 2.8–3.8 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein tuberculate. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy on veins. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 1.8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Kupicha & Cope 1997.

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