Brachypodium humbertianum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 11–15 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.8–5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 14 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 7 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Brachypodieae. Camus 2007.

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