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BRACHIARIA (Trin.) Griseb.
Plants caespitose, annual. Culms erect or ascending, glabrous; internodes hollow, terete. Leaves not
differentiated into two kinds (basal rosette absent), not distinctly distichous; sheaths terete; ligules a line
of hairs; blades flat. Panicles contracted with 6-12 spicate primary unilateral branches; primary
branches appressed, terminating in a spikelet; bristles absent below spikelets. Spikelets solitary, not
embedded in branch, adaxial, planoconvex; disarticulation below spikelets or above first
glumes; florets 2; lower sterile without stamen; upper fertile, more than eight tenths lower floret length;
first glumes present (minute), not fused with callus, encircling spikelet base, awnless; second glumes
present, 1 times spikelet length, not saccate, 5-veined; lemma of upper florets chartaceous or
coriaceous, smooth, white, glabrous, margins involute, not differentiated at apex, awnless; palea of upper
florets present. Stamens 3; anthers brown or yellowish brown. Base chromosome number x=9.
A monotypic genus as interpreted here. Webster (1987) reported and discussed relationships between
Brachiaria, Panicum, and Urochloa. As interpreted here, B. eruciformis is the only species that remains in
Brachiaria.
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