The grass is creeping, with tough stems rooting at nodes and forming a dense turf cushion. I thought it could be Brachiaria but did not get any voucher specimen with semblance in herbaria around. The pictures are attached for your assistance.
I believe the experience of good taxonomists and grass experts will very much help out.
Somanath Sahoo, thank you very much for your response. This is not Cynodon dactylon like you though. Cynodon had reduced leaves than this sample and we have much collection of bahama grass in my Herbarium. Please take a close look at the leaves and inflorescence, it may assist better.
It is a Brachiaria; photo attached.
The reference is:
do Vale, C. B., and M.S. Pagliarini.2009. Biology, Cytogenetics, and Breeding of Brachiaria. In: Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement. Volume 5, Forage Crops. pp.103-151. edited by R. J. Singh, CRC Press (Taylor& Francis Group).
All Bracharia species have been introduced in Brazil from Africa. I can not precisely tell the species if more question can contact:
Cacilda Borges Do Valle
She is an expert in this grass.
To me the grass in the picture is Brachiaria eruciformis. You should have included the soil type from where you took the photo. However be rest assured that grass is Brachiaria eruciformis.
Dear Stephen
I think that your plant could be Urochloa reptans (L.) Stapf (Syn : Brachiaria reptans (L.) C.A. Gardner et C.E. Hubb. ). This grass is pantropical.
Yannis
it is definitely looks like Brachiaria but hard to tell the species
@Alois Sifelani Hlatshwayo: The soil of the area is sandy. I believe it should be visible in one of the pictures uploaded.
I appreciate all responses but will like to have pictures these suggestions on field and the voucher specimen. This will make for good judgement.
Did you contact the authority in Brachiaria in Brazil? I gave you her email address.
I send you a link for 38 specimens of Uruchloa reptans (L.) Stapf. in Paris Herbarium (P) : https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/list collectionCode=p&genus=Urochloa&specificEpithet=reptans
Yannis
Dr. Singh, I have sent an email with the pictures of the sample attached, but there is no response yet.
Steve, Have you been able to confirm the species? I think it is Brachiaria though. You may wish to check Akobundu too.
The pictures I have in my book specimen looks like Brachiaria, For species identification, I gave you an email address of my friend, Did you contact her? If not, Please email me. ([email protected]),the photographs, I shall send her personally for species confirmation.
Thank you
Ram Singh
@ Olusegun Samuel Balogun: I did not find the sample even in the 2nd Edition of Handbook of West African Weeds (Akobundu & Agyakwa).
I compared the grass with Brachiaria distachya, they looked much alike. But no record of B. distachya existed for Nigeria. I have checked through literature, even those by Hutchinson & Dalziel (Flora of West Tropical Africa) and Nigerian Grasses by Joyce Lowe, but did not find any record for this species.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Asia
- India