Urochloa brachyura

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–30 cm long; 3–16 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–8 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular; 2–4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed strongly; plano-convex; cuspidate; 3.5–6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; (3–)5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; eciliate on margins, or setose on margins; acute. Fertile lemma orbicular; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose; unwrinkled, or rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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