Brachiaria arida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or rambling; 25–50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base simple. Leaf-blades linear; 8–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–5; borne along a central axis; distant; unilateral; 2.5–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–14 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; subacute, or acute; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. 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; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–4.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. TAC 1997.

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