Brachiaria lateritica

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths loose; striately veined; hirsute. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 0.5–0.8 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–2 fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.2–0.4 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface hirsute. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. 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; 3 -veined; hirsute; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.4–1.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. 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.