Brachiaria eminii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 40–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–30 cm long; 5–17 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–15 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; cuspidate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose; unwrinkled, or rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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