Urochloa sclerochlaena

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–5 cm long; 4–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular; 2–3 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; plano-convex; acute, or acuminate; 2.5–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 0.1–0.25 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 11 -veined. Upper glume surface spinose and tuberculate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 7 -veined; spinulose and tuberculate; cuspidate. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on keels at maturity. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.2 mm long overall. Palea indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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