Brachiaria uzondoiensis

HABIT Annual. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms decumbent; 60–70 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.4–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3.5–6 cm long; 5–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pilose above.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; ascending; unilateral; 2.5–3 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on surface; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing lax; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels 0.4–5 mm long; scabrous; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; 3.4–3.5 mm long; with hairs extending 0.7–1.1 mm beyond apex; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Rhachilla elongation 0.4 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.2–1.3 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.8–3 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; with a transverse fringe of hair. Upper glume hairs 0.7–1.1 mm long. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 3–3.1 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair; bearing hairs 0.7–1.1 mm long; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret winged on keels; pilose; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.3–2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; dull; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface granulose; with distinct germination flap. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex pubescent. Palea involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.8–1.9 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. Sanchez-Ken 2007.

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