Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp

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

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.15553/c2022v772a7
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10666545
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7878967B-B50A-7B2B-FFC8-FA6AFBC9C790
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp
status

Treatment

15. Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp View in CoL View at ENA in Reinwardtia 12: 139. 2004.

Panicum eruciforme Sm. in Sibthorp, F l. Graec. Prodr.: 40. 1806. Brachiaria eruciformis (Sm.) Griseb. , F l. Ross. (Ledeb.) 4: 469. 1853. Urochloa eruciformis (Sm.) C. Nelson & F ern. Casas in F ontqueria 51: 4.1998.

Holotypus: GREECE: sine loco, s.d., Sibthorp s.n. (OX F).

Loosely tufted annual, ascending to erect, 0.1 –0.6 m high, culms not branched, glabrous, nodes bearded. Leaf sheath glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Ligule a line of hairs. Leaf blade linear, chartaceous, 2– 15 × 0.2–0.6 cm, glabrous to pubescent on both sides, retrorse at maturity. Inflorescence racemose, slender, contracted, 2–10 cm long. Racemes 3–14, 0.5–2.5 cm long, roughly even in length, appressed, on a common axis 1–8 cm long, with no secondary branching, rhachis triquetrous, pubescent, spikelets imbricate, single, subsessile, in 2 tidy rows. Spikelets elliptic, apically acute, 1.7–2.7 mm long, whiteish. Lower glume up to 1/5 as long as spikelet, membranous, truncate to acute, 1-veined, glabrous to pubescent, turned towards rhachis. Upper glume as long as spikelet, membranous, 5-veined, pubescent (rarely glabrous). Lower floret infertile or male, palea c. ⅔ to as long as lemma, anthers 3, 0.5–1 mm long. Lower lemma membranous, 5-veined, pubescent (rarely glabrous). Upper lemma obtuse, smooth, shiny, yellow to pale brown.

Distribution and ecology. – It seems relatively uncommon in Madagascar and restricted to the arid south (F ig. 12).

Notes. – Arrangement of spikelets on the racemes appears remarkably tidy and compact, rendering this species easy to recognise. Occurs over much of Africa and Asia, naturalised in Australia and Latin America, but a comparatively small number of collections are known from Madagascar. F or the history of the generic name see VELDKAMP (2004).

Additional specimens examined. – MADAGASCAR. Reg. Atsimo-Andrefana [Prov. Toliara]: env. de Tulear, XI.1956, Bosser 10549 ( P); Andranovory, 19.X.1960, Peltier & Peltier 2517 ( P).