Urochloa ramosa (L.) T.Q. Nguyen, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13. 1966; Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf. in D. Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.) Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 512. 1919; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 284. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 114. 1989; Sharma & Kachroo, Illustr. Fl. Jammu 2: t. 292. 1983; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 657. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 761. 2006; Panicum ramosum L., Mant. Pl. 1: 29. 1767; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 7: 36. 1897.

Loosely tufted annuals. Culms 30-60 cm long, suberect or decumbent-ascending, branching from base, rooting at lower nodes. Nodes pubescent. Leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 5-12 cm long, up to 1.6 cm wide, flat, acuminate, usually glabrous, margins scaberulous; leaf sheaths striate, glabrous or pubescent with few marginal tubercle-based hairs near mouth; ligule a fringe of white hairs or membranous laciniate. Panicle subpyramidal, 8-15 cm long, with 5 to many racemes. Racemes 2-6 cm long, simple or longest occasionally branched at base, spreading, straight or slightly flexuous, solitary, alternate on common axis. Rachis trigonous, scabrid at angles, glabrous or finely pubescent, often with few long, scattered hairs. Spikelets 2-flowered, usually in pairs, one pedicellate, other subsessile, alternate or crowded, appressed to rachis, 2.5-3.5 mm long, elliptic-ovate, subacute or apiculate, slightly depressed, convex on back, pale greenish, 2-flowered, awnless. Pedicels hispidulous with 1-3 long hairs near top. Glumes unequal, membranous; lower glume adaxial, 1/3-1/2 as long as the spikelet, ca. 1 mm long, ovate- rounded, 5-7-nerved, clasping spikelet at base; upper glume as long as the spikelet, abaxial, ovate, acute, 7-nerved, usually glabrous. Lower floret: Barren; its lemma (lower lemma) similar to upper glume, 5-nerved; palea (lower palea) ca. 1 mm long, oblong, truncate, hyaline. Upper floret: Hermaphrodite; its lemma (upper lemma) crustaceous, broadly ovate, apiculate, distinctly rugose, margins inrolled covering only the edges of palea; its palea (upper palea) ovate, acute, coriaceous, rugose, margin tucked within lemma. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Stigmas 2, plumose.

×

❮ ❯