Code
BRADE
Growth form
grass
Biological cycle
annual
Habitat
terrestrial
synonym | Brachiaria clavuliseta Chiov. |
synonym | Brachiaria deflexa var. sativa Portères, no Latin descr. |
synonym | Brachiaria glycerioides Chiov. |
synonym | Brachiaria regularis (Nees) Stapf |
synonym | Brachiaria stapfiana Basappa & Muniy. |
synonym | Panicum clavulisetum Chiov. [Invalid] |
synonym | Panicum clavulisetum Chiov., pro syn. |
synonym | Panicum deflexum Schumach. |
synonym | Panicum glycerioides Chiov. [Invalid] |
synonym | Panicum glycerioides Chiov., pro syn. |
synonym | Panicum nudiglume Hochst. |
synonym | Panicum petiveri var. nudiglume (Hochst.) Chiov. |
synonym | Panicum petiveri var. robustissimum Chiov. |
synonym | Panicum ramosum var. deflexum (Schumach.) Peter |
synonym | Panicum regulare Nees |
synonym | Panicum ruprechtii E.Fourn. ex Hemsl. [Invalid] |
synonym | Panicum ruprechtii E.Fourn. ex Hemsl., pro syn. |
synonym | Panicum sorghi Delile [Invalid] |
synonym | Panicum sorghi Delile, nom. nud. |
synonym | Pseudobrachiaria deflexa (Schumach.) Launert |
synonym | Urochloa deflexa (Schumach.) H.Scholz |
synonym | Urochloa stapfiana (Basappa & Muniy.) Ashalatha & V.J. Nair |
Malgache |
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Other |
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Global description
Brachiaria deflexa is an annual grass, with loose tufts, erect straw, geniculate base, and measuring 25 to 70 cm high. The light green leaves have slightly hairy sheath, linear leaf blade, measuring 5 to 20 cm long and 5 to 15 mm wide, plan, and rounded at the base. The ligule is ciliated. The inflorescence is a loose panicle base incorporated in the last leaf, comprising normally of 5 to 12 slender racemes. It can be loose, erect or spreading obliquely, inserted on the main stem ranging from 5-20 cm. Racemes occurring at the base are 5 to 12 cm long and sometimes contain short side racemes. The spikelets are broadly oval, acute at the top, pale green or pale yellow in color, and measure 2.7 to 3 mm long. They are in pairs at the base and solitary at the top of racemes. They are considerably far from each other on the axis of the raceme.
First leaves
The first leaf has a lanceolate elliptical lamina, about 1.5 cm long, with a more or less flattened sheath which is finely hairy including the limbus. The prefoliation is rolled from the second leaf, the blade rolls out.
General habit
This tufted grass occurs in loose clumps, with erect stem and geniculate base, branched at the nodes, and reaching more than 50 cm high.
Underground system
The roots are fibrous.
Culm
The grass culm is erect, more or less compressed, with a geniculate base, glabrous or finely pubescent and the nodes are pubescent or ciliate.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate. The sheath is finely pubescent with the margin containing sparse long hairs. The ligule is ciliated and is represented by a line of short stiff hairs. The lamina is linear, 5 to 25 cm long and 4-22 mm wide, rounded at the base, acute at the top plan, finely pubescent on both sides giving it a velvety appearance. The margin is finely scabrous.
Inflorescence
The inflorescence is a loose and oval or oblong panicle, 8 to 15 cm long and 5 to 12 cm wide, with the base sometimes remaining incorporated in the last leaf. It usually consists of 5 to 12 slender and loose racemes which can be solitary or in pairs, arranged obliquely erect or spreading. Racemes of the base range from 4 to 12 cm and sometimes carry short side racemes. The axis of the inflorescence, racemes and also the pedicels of the spikelets are finely pubescent and are more or less abundant with long hairs.
Flower
The spikelets are broadly oval, acute at the top, flattened ventrally, pale green or pale yellow in color, measuring 2.7 to 3 mm long. They occur in pairs at the base and solitary at the top of the racemes, unequally pedicelate : one short pedicel of about 1 mm and the other longer pedicel 2 to 12 mm. Spikelets and the pairs of spikelets are considerably distant from each other on the axis of the racemes. The lower glume is approximately half the length of the spikelet, clasping and has 5 ribs. The upper glume is similar in size and shape to the spikelet, and has 7 ribs. The lower flower is male or barren, with a similar lemma to that of the upper glume but with 5 ribs. The upper flower is fertile, slightly shorter than the spikelet, lemma in yellow crustaceous, transversely wrinkled.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Mayotte : Brachiaria deflexa flowers and fruits all year round.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Brachiaria deflexa is an annual herb that is mainly propagated by seed.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Brachiaria deflexa can be difficult to distinguish from Brachiaria lata, here are few criteria at vegetative stage:
Ligule | Blade margin |
Blade hairyness | Species |
ciliate 0,5 mm | very finely denticulate | pubescence very short but dense, inconspicuous but velvety to the touch upper and lower side | Brachiaria deflexa |
ciliate 1,5 - 2 mm | finely denticulate with long hairs (2 mm) | pubescence very short but loose, velvety touch on lower side only, long sparse hairs on lower side and sheath | Brachiaria lata |
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Comoros: Brachiaria deflexa is present.
Madagascar: B. deflexa is common in sub-humid and semi-arid regions of Madagascar (West and Southwest). It is also present in natural pastures (grassland degraded more or less) in lowland areas and clearings of degraded dry forest.
Mauritius: absent.
Mayotte: Brachiaria deflexa is a native species, common in open and secondarized environments of the dry area. It occurs on points and islets, on rocky cliffs and coastal sands, along roadsides, in crops and semi-urbanized areas, and in grassy savannahs with Heteropogon contortus.
Reunion: present on the West part of the island.
Seychelles: absent.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Worldwide distribution
Brachiaria deflexa is present in all tropical Africa, in Arabia, India, Pakistan and in the islands of the Indian Ocean (Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar and the west coast of Reunion Island).
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Local harmfulness
Comoros: Brachiaria deflexa is present.Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Brachiaria%2520deflexa
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Root | Root |
Kingdom | Plantae |
Phylum | Tracheophyta |
Class | Liliopsida |
Order | Poales |
Family | Poaceae |
Genus | Brachiaria |
Species | Brachiaria deflexa (Schumach.) C.E.Hubb. ex Robyns |