Urochloa trichopodioides

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 20–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5.5–10 cm long; 10–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–7 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; glabrous on surface, or with scattered hairs. Spikelet packing abaxial; irregular; 2–4 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels bearing a few hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; compressed moderately; plano-convex; acute; 3–4(–4.5) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 5 -veined; glabrous; acuminate. Fertile lemma orbicular; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface reticulate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.4–0.6 mm long overall. Palea indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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