Urochloa arrecta (Hack. ex T. Durand & Schinz) Morrone & Zuloaga

Vorontsova, Maria S., 2022, Revision of some Malagasy forage grasses and their relatives within Brachiaria, Echinochloa, Moorochloa, and Urochloa, Candollea 77 (2), pp. 199-236 : 222-223

16. Urochloa arrecta (Hack. ex T. Durand & Schinz) Morrone & Zuloaga in Darwiniana 31: 69. 1992.

Panicum arrectum Hack. ex T. Durand & Schinz, Consp. F l. Afr. 5: 741. 1894. Brachiaria arrecta (Hack. ex T. Durand & Schinz) Stent in Bothalia 1: 26. 1924.

Lectotypus (designated by SOSEF 2016: 358): SOUTH AFRICA. Eastern Cape: Komgha Division, near Kei River, s.d., Drège s.n. ( K [ K000282184 ]!) .

= Brachiaria arrecta var. madecassa A. Camus in Bull. Soc. Bot. F rance 101: 395. 1954. Holotypus: MADAGASCAR. R e g. Va k i n a n k a r a t r a [Pro v. A n t a n a n a r i vo]: near Antsirabe, I.1914 , Perrier de la Bâthie 10756 ( P [ P00450159 ]!; iso-: P [ P02040480 ]!) .

Loosely tufted stoloniferous perennial, ascending to erect, 0.5 –1.3 m high, culms sparsely branched, rooting at lower nodes, glabrous. Leaf sheath glabrous, sometimes pubescent at base of plant. Ligule a line of hairs. Leaf blade linear to narrowlanceolate, thickly chartaceous, 4–20 × 0.3–1.2 cm, glabrous on both sides. Inflorescence racemose, slender, open, 5–30 cm long. Racemes 2–5, 2–10 cm long, roughly even in length, on a common axis 5–25 cm long, with no secondary branching, rhachis narrowly winged, 0.5–1.5 mm wide, margins scabrid or with cilia up to 0.5 mm long, spikelets imbricate, single, subsessile, in 2 rows, pedicels often pubescent. Spikelets elliptic, apiculate, 3.5–4 mm long, yellowish, often with a purple tinge. Lower glume c. ½ as long as spikelet, membranous, obtuse, 3-veined, glabrous, turned towards rhachis. Upper glume as long as spikelet, membranous, 5– 7-veined, glabrous. Lower floret male, palea as long as lemma, anthers 3, c. 2.2 mm long. Lower lemma membranous, 5–7-veined, glabrous. Upper lemma obtuse, rugulose.

Distribution and ecology. – Common element of pastures, grazing lawns, open savannas, stream banks, roadsides, rice paddies, and swamps in central and eastern Madagascar, at elevations of 1000–1700 m (F ig. 12).

Notes. – Common native African forage grass. Much larger plant than Urochloa distachyos (L.) T.Q. Nguyen or U. nana (Stapf) Voronts. (comb. nov., see below); its mainly erect habit is a useful recognition feature. Distinguished from U. brizantha , U. eminii , and U. jubata (F ig. & De Not.) Sosef by the absence of long cilia on the edges of its rhachis, with cilia only up to 0.5 mm long (1.5–3 mm long in U. brizantha ). The lower part of the plant is often underwater. Provides good quality forage in the dry season (BOSSER, 1969).

Selected specimens examined. – MADAGASCAR. Reg. Alaotra-Mangoro [Prov. Toamasina]: Morarano , W du Lac Alaotra, XII.1954, Bosser 7465 ( P) ; Ambatondrazaka , Manakambahiny Est , 24.XII.1962, Rakotovao 12358 ( P) . Reg. Amoron’i Mania [Prov. Fianarantsoa]: Ambositra , riviere de F atihita , 25.I.2015, Manjato et al. 620 ( MO, P) ; 2 km E of Anjomanakona towards Ivato , 27.II.2013, Vorontsova et al. 1036 ( K, TAN) . Reg. Analamanga [Prov. Antananarivo]: Ilafy , VI.1905, Alleizette 162a ( P) ; Antananarivo-Sud , Ampitatafika , PK 10 rte. d’Arivonimamo, II.1961, Bosser 15154 ( P, TAN) . Reg. Atsinanana [Prov. Toamasina]: Ilaka-Est , station d’essai “Caroline”, XII.1962, Bosser 16827 ( P) . Reg. AIANA [Prov. Antsiranana]: rte. d’Ambilobe à Ambanja, XII.1964, Morat 1208 ( P) . Reg. Sofia [ Prov. Mahajanga]: Bealanana , Betainkankana , Ankaizina, V.1952, Bosser 2748 ( P) . Reg. Vakinankaratra [Prov. Antananarivo]: Ambohimandroso , Analamahitsy village , 26.IV.2017, Solofondranohatra et al. 883 ( K, P, TAN) . Reg. Vatovavy [Prov. Fianarantsoa]: Vohitranivo , XI.1952, Bosser 3976 ( P) .