Urochloa echinolaenoides

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 30–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long; 2–12 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–7 cm long. Rhachis angular; setose on margins. Rhachis hairs dark brown; 3–7 mm long. Spikelet packing abaxial; regular; 3–4 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels setose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; compressed strongly; plano-convex; acuminate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume margins setose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; setose; hairy on veins; bearing dark brown hairs; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.5 mm long overall. Palea indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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