Urochloa plantaginea (Link) R.D.Webster

synonyms: Brachiaria plantaginea


plantain 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: plantaginea = "resembling plantain" [Latin] refering to the broad leaves which resemble Plantago L.
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1940

Map

 Distribution of Urochloa plantaginea in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Urochloa plantaginea in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Urochloa plantaginea Inflorescence

Plant

Urochloa plantaginea Plant
Urochloa plantaginea Plant
Urochloa plantaginea Plant
Urochloa plantaginea Plant

Habit

Urochloa plantaginea Habit
Urochloa plantaginea Habit
Urochloa plantaginea Habit
Urochloa plantaginea Habit

Spikelets

Urochloa plantaginea Spikelets
Urochloa plantaginea Spikelets
Urochloa plantaginea Spikelets

Description

Plants annual. Culms 20-100 cm, decumbent, geniculate, branching and rooting at the lower nodes; nodes glabrous. Sheaths mostly glabrous, except the margins ciliate, with papillose-based hairs; ligules 0.5-1.5 mm; blades 3-21 cm long, 6-20 mm wide, glabrous, bases subcordate to cordate, clasping the stems, margins sometimes ciliate basally. Panicles 6-25 cm long, 2-7 cm wide, with 3-8 spikelike primary branches in 2 ranks; primary branches 2-11 cm, axes 1-1.5 mm wide, flat, margins scabrous; secondary branches absent; pedicels shorter than the spikelets, glabrous or scabrous. Spikelets (4)4.5-6 mm long, 1.9-2.2 mm wide, solitary, appressed to the branch axes, in 2 rows. Glumes separated by an internode of about 0.5 mm; lower glumes 1.5-2.5 mm, to 1/3 as long as the spikelets, broadly ovate, glabrous, 9-11-veined; upper glumes 3-4.2 mm, glabrous, 7(-9)-veined, without evident cross venation; lower florets sterile; lower lemmas 3-4.2 mm, glabrous, 5-veined; lower paleas present; upper lemmas 2.7-3.6 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, apices rounded; anthers 0.7-1 mm. Caryopses 2-2.5 mm. 2n = 36, 72.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S. & Piep, M.B. (eds.) 2003. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783 pp http://floranorthamerica.org/Urochloa_plantaginea )