Brachiaria leandriana

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–20 cm long; 1 mm diam. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; keeled; outer margin hairy. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 11 cm long; 7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface hirsute. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; hirsute; hairy above; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; indurate; yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Bosser 2007.

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