Brachiaria .] 
CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Sfcapf). 
511 
Lower glume one -third to one -half the length of the 
s pikelet, distinctly nerved, nerves 1-5. 
Spikelets glabrous (see also 46. B. distichophylla). 
Racemes loose ; spikelets (or pairs of spikelets) more 
or less distant, oblong, 1^ lin. long, the primary of 
a pair on a pedicel up to 1| lin. long ; lower glume 
3- or sub-5-nerved ; lower floret reduced to its valve 43. B. epaleata. 
Racemes rather dense ; spikelets mostly contiguous 
and subsessile, subovoid, very convex on the back, 
1 lin. long ; lower glume 1-3-nerved ; lower floret [lata. 
barren but with a well-developed valvule ... 44. B. semiundu - 
Spikelets hairy (except sometimes in 46. B. distichophylla). 
Spikelets finely pubescent, rarely with the hairs 
collected into a small short fringe below the tip or 
quite glabrous (see 46. B. distichophylla ), oblong. 
Annual. 
Spikelets solitary and subsessile or the lower 
paired, in dense or loose usually simple 
slender racemes, not gaping ; lower florets [ phylla. 
barren ... ... ... ... ... » . . 45. B. disticho- 
Spikelets mostly in short racemules or clusters of 
6-2, distant by more than their own length in 
straight or flexuous and sometimes nodding 
racemes which are compound up to or some- 
times far beyond the middle, frequently 
gaping ; lower floret 6 ... 46. B. Icotscliyana. 
Perennial; spikelets solitary, 8-2 in very short 
racemes, turgid 47. B. andongensis. 
Spikelets silky with a coma of long white soft hairs 
concealing the obtuse or subacute tip, obovoid, 
| to almost 1 in. long (excluding the coma) ... 48. B. comala. 
1. B. obvoluta, Stapf. Perennial, np to over 1J ft. high. Culms 
geniculately ascending, 4-noded, simple, angular below, sheathed 
high up. Leaves loosely and finely hairy all over ; sheaths some- 
what loose, the lower slipping ofi the culm and irrolling, 4-5 in. 
long, the upper up to over 6 in. long and ciliate upwards ; ligules 
a narrow ciliate rim, blades linear from an equally wide base, tapering 
to a slender subcallous point, 4-8 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, firm, pale 
green, margins cartilaginous, sparingly and minutely spinulose, 
midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves about 4 on each side ; 
uppermost blade subulate, 1 in. long. Inflorescence erect, seeund, 
of 4 distant suberect or oblique robust seeund spiciform racemes ; 
common axis over 4 in. long, very slender, subterete, channelled, 
hairy towards the nodes and more finely so on the face. Racemes 
robust, up to 2 in. long, dense, 2-seriate, pale green, simple ; rhachis 
triquetrous, J lin. wide, more or less wavy, pubescent on the back, 
scabrid and loosely white-ciliate along the angles ; internodes about 
1J lin. wide ; pedicels solitary, very short. Spikelets subcontiguous 
or at least those of one rank incumbent on those of the other rank, 
broad-oblong, obtuse, 3J lin. long, pale green. Glumes rather 
