Urochloa eminii (Mez) Davidse

synonyms: Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Urochloa decumbens, Urochloa ruziziensis


signal grass


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Urochloa = "tail grass" [Greek] refering to the small tail (mucro) of the upper lemma of some species
Species etymology: eminii = honorific for Emin Pasha, the adopted name of Eduard Sennritzer (1840–1892)
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1966

Map

 Distribution of Urochloa eminii in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Urochloa eminii Inflorescence
Urochloa eminii Inflorescence
Urochloa eminii Inflorescence
Urochloa eminii Inflorescence
Urochloa eminii Inflorescence
Urochloa eminii Inflorescence

Plant

Urochloa eminii Plant
Urochloa eminii Plant
Urochloa eminii Plant

Habit

Urochloa eminii Habit
Urochloa eminii Habit
Urochloa eminii Habit

Spikelets

Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets
Urochloa eminii Spikelets

Description

Stoloniferous perennial; culms 50–150 cm. high, wiry, decumbent. Leaf-blades broadly linear to narrowly lanceolate, 5–20 cm. long, 7–15 mm. wide. Inflorescence of 2–7 racemes on an axis 1–8 cm. long; racemes mostly 1–5 cm. long; bearing the spikelets singly, these usually in 2 rows; rhachis flat, 1–1.7 mm. wide, ciliate on the margins. Spikelets elliptic, 4–5 mm. long, usually pubescent, with a slight stipe at the base; lower glume 1/3–1/2 the length of the spikelet, clasping, acute or obtuse; upper glume membranous, separated from the lower by an internode; upper lemma granulose, subacute.
(Description source: Clayton, W.D. & Renvoize, S.A. 1982. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Gramineae (Part 3). A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. 448 pp. )

Habit: Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 50-150 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5-20 cm long; 7-15 mm wide. Inflorescences: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2-7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1-5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1-8 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; 1-1.7 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; subacute, or acute; 4-5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; subacute, or acute; 4-5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Glumes: Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.33-0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute. Florets: Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; obtuse, or acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5-4.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate; without keels. Distribution: Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-tropical: India and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: north-central. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.
(Description source: Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. Available at https://powo.science.kew.org )