JOUR. ARNOLD ARB. VOL. XXIX

PLATE I

GRAMINEAE-PANICOIDEAE OF NEW GUINEA

(Drawn from type specimen)

PLATE I

Brachiaria fusiformis Reeder (Brass 3639): a. habit, × ½; b & c. two views of spikelet; d. fertile floret (b-d, × 10).

3. Brachiaria fusiformis sp. nov. PLATE I.

Annua, 15-40 cm. alta; culmis gracilibus, glabris vel plus minusve pubescentibus, adscendentibus vel decumbentibus, nodis pubescentibus eis inferioribus radicantibus; vaginis quam internodiis fere brevioribus, plus minusve pubescentibus, callo et marginibus dense pilosis; ligula ad ciliarum seriem fere 0.6 mm. longam reducta; laminis ovato-lanceolatis, subcordatis, 1.5-3.5 cm. longis, 3-7 mm. latis, glabris vel plus minusve puberulentibus, alter margine undulato, alter pectinato-scabro; racemis 3-10, 0.5-2 cm. longis, rhachi angulata, puberulente et pilis paucis rigidis praedita; pedicellis solitaris, 0.5-1 mm. longis, puberulentibus et apicem versus pilis rigidibus obtectis; spiculis fusiformibus, circiter 3 mm. longis, pilosis, apicem versus pilis paullo longioribus; gluma prima acuta, 3-nervia, quam spicula duplo breviore; gluma secunda et lemmate sterili subaequantibus, 5-nervis, acuminatis, lemmate quam gluma paullo longiore; palea sterili angusta, scariosa; lemmate fertili striata papillis ordinibus dispositis.

BRITISH NEW GUINEA: Central Division: Rona, Laloki River, alt. 450 m., *Brass* 3639 (GH, TYPE, US) April, 1933 (common on rocky savannah slopes).

Some additional specimens in the U. S. National Herbarium which seem to represent this same species are: Luzon: Viscaya Province: *M. Ramos* (Philip. Bar. Sci. No. 8214); Clemens 18000; Benguet Province: R. S. Williams 1963; Lepanto District, Merrill 4459.

The new species is related to *Brachiaria coccosperma*, but that species has shorter, acute spikelets with the fertile floret elliptic and acute rather than obovate and distinctly mucronate. This is the species reported as *B. villosa* (Lam.) A. Camus, by Hitchcock (35, p. 121).

Reeder, J. R. in Jour. Arnold Arb. 29: 274. 1948.

Yale University Herbarium

YU.000861