Brachiaria fruticulosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; 1.5 mm diam.; woody (below). Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 2.5–4.5 cm long; 3.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with 6–8 secondary veins. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–4 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–3 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; 2.6–2.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; prominently veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.6–2.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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