Urochloa reptans (L.) Stapf

Stapf, O. (1918) Flora of Tropical Africa 9: 601.

Annual. Culms decumbent, 15-60 cm long, rooting from the lower nodes.

Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate, 2-8 cm long and 3-15 mm wide.

Inflorescence composed of 5-15 racemes borne along a central axis, unilateral, 1-4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1-8 cm long. Rhachis wingless and angular. Spikelet packing crowded, regular, 2 -rowed, in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate. Spikelets comprising of a basal sterile floretand a fertile floret; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong, slightly dorsally compressed, acute, 1.5-2.2 mm long; falling entire. Glumes dissimilar, reaching apex of florets, thinner than the fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular, clasping, 0.15-0.25 length of spikelet, hyaline, without a keel. Lower glume without lateral veins, apex truncate. Upper glume ovate, equals the spikelet, membranous, 7 -veined with the apex acute. Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume, ovate, ; same length as spikelet, membranous, 5 -veined, acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, 1-2 mm long, indurate, without keel. Lemma surface rugose, margins involute, apex acute and mucronate. Palea involute, indurate, without keels.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 250 m. Grows in moist areas in river and creek beds, in riparian forest, Acacia forest and in various types of woodland. Pantropical, throughout Malesia and New Guinea.

A weed of disturbed places, also excellent fodder (Veldkamp 1996).