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Useful Tropical Plants

Brachiaria dictyoneura

(Fig. & De Not.) Stapf

Poaceae


The genera Brachiaria and Urochloa are closely related, and the two are united by some authors. See Veldkamp, Taxon 45 (1986) 319. However, this unification is not accepted by all authors - see Flora of China Vol 22 pp520-523 2006. We are following the treatment in the Flora of China and the Kew 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families', and treating the two genera as distinct[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Brachiaria and Urochloa are distinguished mainly by habit, Urochloa having rather more flattened, cuspidate spikelets enclosing a pronounced mucro from the upper lemma. The different spikelet orientation is also characteristic, though not obvious when the spikelets are paired. In Urochloa the lower glume faces outward, whereas in Brachiaria it lies against the rachis[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]..

+ Synonyms

Brachiaria keniensis Henrard

Brachiaria obvoluta Stapf

Panicum albovellereum K.Schum. ex Engl.

Panicum dictyoneurum Fig. & De Not.

Urochloa dictyoneura (Fig. & De Not.) Veldkamp

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Brachiaria dictyoneura is an evergreen, perennial grass producing a dense cluster of culms that can be geniculate to decumbent, often rooting at the lower nodes. It grows around 40 - 145cm tall, spreading by means of vigorous but slender stolons[
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
1140
Title
Brachiaria, Urochloa (Gramineae-Paniceae) in Malesia
Publication
Blumea 41 pp 413-437 1996
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Publisher
 
Year
1996
ISBN
 
Description
A paper transferring various Brachiaria species to Urochloa, it also gives information on plant uses.
].
The plant is used to provide ground cover and prevent soil erosion.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Eastern and southern Africa - Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Swaziland, S. Africa

Habitat

Woody grasslands, well adapted to wet lowlands; at elevations up to 2,300 metres[
1140
Title
Brachiaria, Urochloa (Gramineae-Paniceae) in Malesia
Publication
Blumea 41 pp 413-437 1996
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Publisher
 
Year
1996
ISBN
 
Description
A paper transferring various Brachiaria species to Urochloa, it also gives information on plant uses.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.00 m
PollinatorsApomictic, Wind
Cultivation StatusCultivated

Cultivation Details

Brachiaria dictyoneura is well adapted to the humid and sub-humid tropics, at elevations up to 1,800 metres, where it withstands dry periods of up to 4 - 5 months. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 1,500 - 3,500mm[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
The plant grows well on a wide range of soils, provided they are well drained, including acid and highly aluminium-saturated soils of low fertility[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
This species is amongst the Brachiaria species least affected by spittlebug (species of the genera Aeneolamia, Deois, and Zulia in the Cercopidae family) and it recovers quickly after an attack[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A vigorous, spreading plant, it has potential for use as a ground cover in plantations and to prevent soil erosion[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
,
1140
Title
Brachiaria, Urochloa (Gramineae-Paniceae) in Malesia
Publication
Blumea 41 pp 413-437 1996
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Publisher
 
Year
1996
ISBN
 
Description
A paper transferring various Brachiaria species to Urochloa, it also gives information on plant uses.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - should be sown no deeper than 10mm and rolling is recommended after sowing. Best results are obtained when seed is sown during the wet season[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
]. The seed needs after-ripening for 6 - 8 months to break dormancy. Treating the seed for 10 - 15 minutes with commercial sulphuric acid does not give much improvement in germination of recently harvested seed. Young plants are slow to establish[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
]
Division of culms and root pieces[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Brachiaria+dictyoneura>

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