UROCHLOA

Urochloa P. Beauv., Ess. Agrostogr. 52. 1812; Brachiaria (Trin.) Griseb. in Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 4: 469. 1853; Blatter & McCann, Bombay Grasses 132. 1935; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 278. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 110. 1989; Chen & Phillips, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 520; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 201.

Annuals or perennials. Leaf blades linear-lanceolate; ligule of a line of hairs. Inflorescence composed of racemes along a central axis; rachis of raceme terete, triquetrous or flattened, sometimes winged. Spikelets sessile or pedicelled, solitary or paired, rarely in fascicles, plump, usually elliptic, 2-flowered, muticous (awnless). Glumes unequal; lower shorter, adaxial; upper as long as the spikelet. Lower floret: Barren. Its lemma (lower lemma) similar to upper glume, usually paleate, rarely epaleate. Upper floret: Hermaphrodite. Its lemma (upper lemma) coriaceous to crustaceous, smooth, striate or rugose, margins inrolled covering only the edges of palea, apex obtuse or acute, occasionally minutely mucronate. Palea (upper palea) similar to its lemma, its tip tucked within lemma.

87 species

Urochloa distachyos

Urochloa distachyos (L.) T.Q. Nguyen, Nov. Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13. 1966; Brachiaria distachyos (L.) Stapf. (as Brachiaria distichyos) in D. Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 565. 1919; Blatter & McCann, Bombay Grasses 135. 1935 (as Brachiaria distachya Haines); Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 281. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 111. 1989; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 203.

Annuals. Culms prostrate or ascending, up to 50 cm long, angular or channelled, rooting at lower nodes, hairy at the top near inflorescence; nodes glabrous or pubescent. Leaf blades ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2-8 cm x 4-8 mm, acuminate, glabrous or pubescent with tubercle-based hairs; leaf sheaths keeled, glabrous or ciliate on one margin; ligule a hairy rim. Inflorescence a panicle of 2-3(- 4) racemes distantly arranged on hairy axis, 1 raceme terminal, racemes 2.5-3.5 cm long, all racemes nearly of the same size, ascending or spreading nearly at right angle; hairy or puberulous below rachis; rachis triquetrous with narrow wings. Spikelets subsessile, elliptical, 2.5-3 mm long, solitary, 1- or 2-seriate, dorsally compressed, slightly depressed, convex on back, glabrous, pale greenish, 2-flowered, awnless. Glumes unequal; lower glume small, 1/3 to 1/2 the length of spikelet, orbicular, 5-7-nerved, clasping; upper glume of full length of spikelet, membranous, ovate, 7-nerved, acute. Lower floret: Barren. Lemma (lower lemma) similar to upper glume, 2-keeled, 5-nerved; palea (lower palea) small, ca. 1.2 mm long, oblong, hyaline, 2-keeled. Upper floret: Hermaphrodite. Lemma (upper lemma) slightly shorter than lower lemma, ca. 2.2 mm long, ovate, subcoriaceous, acute, 2-keeled, rugose; palea (upper palea) slightly shorter than upper lemma, subcoriaceous, 2-keeled, finely rugose. Lodicules 2, free, small. Stamens 3; anthers ca. 1 mm. Stigmas 2. Caryopsis ca. 1 mm, ovoid, compressed.

Flowering and Fruiting: August to December
Common Names: Brown top Millet, Armgrass, Millet