Brachiaria umbratilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths pubescent, or woolly. Culms 30–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–10 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long; simple, or secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 3–10 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; irregular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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