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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Brachiaria fasciculata

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 30–120 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–20(–30) cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.

Racemes 3–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–8 cm long; secondarily branched; secondary branches racemulose. Central inflorescence axis 6–15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; with scattered hairs and pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 2.4–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; obovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; with cross-veins; glabrous; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.2–2.8 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia. North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas.

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