Family:
Poaceae Barnhart
Genus:
Brachypodium P.Beauv.

Brachypodium flexum Nees

This species is accepted, and its native range is Tropical & S. Africa, Madagascar.

[GB]
Morphology General Habit
Perennial; culms solitary, or mat forming. Culms decumbent; 30-100 cm long; wiry; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 5-17 cm long; 2-6 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; drooping, or erect; bilateral; 4-15 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3-9 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; 1.5 their length apart; 2 -rowed. Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 6-12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 6-12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; (3-)4-8 mm long; 0.9-1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; (3-)4-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4-10 mm long; 0.5-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; (5-)7-11 mm long; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent, or pilose. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 4-8 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia.
Reference
Brachypodieae. FTEA.

[FWTA]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit
Weak-stemmed perennial 30–90 cm. high.

[FZ]

Gramineae, E. Launert. Flora Zambesiaca 10:1. 1971

Morphology General Habit
A very variable perennial.
Morphology Culms
Culms up to 100 cm. tall, 5-many-noded, usually branched below, rarely simple, straggling, ascending from a geniculate base, or often decumbent and rooting from the lower nodes, terete, wiry, rather slender, smooth, glabrous or sometimes hairy below the nodes; nodes finely pubescent.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Leaf-sheaths shorter than the internodes, striate, tight at first, later slipping off the culm, with a row of spreading hairs along the margins, otherwise glabrous or rarely scattered pilose.
Morphology Leaves Ligules
Ligule c. 1 mm. long, truncate.
Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina
Leaf-laminae 5-15 x 0.3-0.8 cm., linear, long tapering to a fine flexible point, dark-green to glaucous, somewhat rigid to almost flaccid, usually scattered pilose, sometimes glabrous, smooth on the upper, scaberulous on the lower surface.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Raceme 4-15 cm. long, erect or more often pendulous, bearing 3-9 spikelets; rhachis very slender, frequently curved, compressed, glabrous, scabrous mainly along the margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels hardly more than 1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 1.25-4.5 cm. long, 7-many-flowered, usually overlapping but sometimes remote, horizontally spreading to obliquely ascending, glabrous or thinly pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes with the apex acute to acuminate, chartaceous, strongly nerved; inferior 3-6 mm. long, (3)4-5-nerved, narrowly triangular to lanceolate-subulate; superior 5-8.5 mm. long, 7-nerved, lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
Lemmas 6-8 mm. long, 7-nerved, firmly membranous, lanceolate, tapering into the awn, inconspicuously scaberulous, rarely shortly pubescent; awn 3-7.5 mm. long, slender, straight.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea
Paleas 7-8 mm. long, with rigid cilia along the keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers c. 3 mm. long, linear.

[FTEA]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit
Weak stemmed perennial, often forming dense mats.
Morphology Culms
Culms 30–100 cm. high, usually scaberulous, slender, wiry, geniculately ascending, pubescent at the nodes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades 5–17 cm. long and 2–6 mm. wide, flat, thin, sparsely pilose above, scabrid beneath; sheaths nearly always scabrid, glabrous or sometimes sparsely pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 6–12 cm. long, usually bearing 5–8 spikelets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 1.5–3 cm. long, narrowly lanceolate, mostly 6–12-flowered; glumes lanceolate, the lower (3–)4–8 mm. long, the upper 4–10 mm. long, acute or tapering to a fine point; lemmas narrowly lanceolate, (5–)7–11 mm. long, scaberulous, pubescent or weakly pilose, rarely glabrous, acute, tipped by an awn 4–8 mm. long.
Figures
Fig. 24, p. 72.
Habitat
In shade of open or closed upland forest, bamboo thicket and ericaceous bushland; 2000–3000 m.
Distribution
Sudan Republic and Ethiopia to South Africa and Madagascar K2 K3 K4 K5 T2 T3 T4 T6 T7 U1 U2 U3

Doubtfully present in:

Yemen

Native to:

Burundi, Cabinda, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Free State, Gulf of Guinea Is., Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Réunion

Brachypodium flexum Nees appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
May 1, 1998 Cable, S. [3087], Cameroon K000339497 No
Feb 19, 1974 Gilbert, M.G. [3300], Ethiopia K001268419 Yes
Feb 17, 1974 Gilbert, M.G. [3235], Ethiopia K001268418 Yes
Nov 19, 1972 Friis, I. [1237], Ethiopia K001268416 Yes
Nov 4, 1971 Thullin, M. [1606], Ethiopia K001268422 Yes
Feb 11, 1971 Edwards, S. [54], Ethiopia K001268423 Yes
Dec 31, 1965 de Wilde, W. [9489], Ethiopia K001268421 Yes
Drege [s.n.], South Africa K000367327 Yes
Buchanan [61], South Africa K000367328 Yes
Buchanan [104], South Africa K000367329 Yes
Buchanan [198], South Africa K000367330 Yes
Buchanan [233], South Africa K000367332 Yes
Schimper [674], Ethiopia K000367337 isotype Yes
Wolley-Dod, A.H. [2385], South Africa K000367331 Yes
Buchanan [233], South Africa K000367333 Yes
Buchanan [79], South Africa K000367334 Yes

First published in Fl. Afr. Austral. Ill.: 456 (1841)

Accepted by

  • Aedo, C., Tellería, M.T. & Velayos, M. (eds.) (1999). Bases Documentales para la Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial; Plantas vascularis y hongos: 1-414. CSIC, real jardín Botánico, Madrid.
  • Bosser, J. & Renvoize, S.A. (2018). Flore des Mascareignes 203: 1-276. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Clayton, W.D. (1970). Gramineae Flora of Tropical East Africa 1: 1-176.
  • Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Cope, T.A., Knees, S.G. & Miller, A.G. (2007). Flora of the Arabian peninsula and Socotra 5(1): 1-387. Edinburgh University Press.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Exell, A.W. (1973). Angiosperms of the islands of the gulf of Guinea (Fernando Po, Príncipe, S.Tomé, and Annobon) Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Botany 4: 325-411.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Hepper, F.N. (ed.) (1972). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 3(2): 277-574.
  • Launert, E. (1971). Flora Zambesiaca 10(1): 1-152. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Ndabaneze, P. (1989). Catalogue des Graminées du Burundi Lejeunia; Revue de Botanique, n.s., 132: 1-127.
  • Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Fl. Afr. Austr. 1: 456 (1841).

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Bosser, J. & Renvoize, S.A. (2018). Flore des Mascareignes 203: 1-276. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Clayton, W.D. (1970). Gramineae Flora of Tropical East Africa 1: 1-176.
  • Cope, T.A., Knees, S.G. & Miller, A.G. (2007). Flora of the Arabian peninsula and Socotra 5(1): 1-387. Edinburgh University Press.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Hepper, F.N. (ed.) (1972). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 3(2): 277-574.
  • Launert, E. (1971). Flora Zambesiaca 10(1): 1-152. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Ndabaneze, P. (1989). Catalogue des Graminées du Burundi Lejeunia; Revue de Botanique, n.s., 132: 1-127.
  • Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • A.V. Bogdan, A Revised List of Kenya Grasses p. 14 (1958).
  • D.M. Napper, Grasses of Tanganyika: 15 (1965).
  • Eggeling, Ann. list grasses Ug.: 8 (1947).
  • Jackson & Wiehe, Ann. list Nyasaland grasses: 32 (1958).
  • K.W. Harker & D.M. Napper, An Illustrated Guide to the Grasses of Uganda p. 20 (1960).
  • Nees, Fl. Afr. Austr. 1: 456 (1841).

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    Flora of West Tropical Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0