Derivation
Brachiaria (Trin.) Griseb., in C.F. von Ledebour, Fl. Ross. 4: 469 (1853). From the Latin brachium (arm), alluding to the manner of bearing the racemes.

distachya- from the Greek dis (twice) and stachys (an ear of corn). Inflorescences with two branches or with regularly bifurcating branches.

Published in
Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 565 (1919).

Common synonyms
Urochloa distachya (L.) T.Q.Nguyen

Habit
Annual or perennial, mat forming. Stolons present. Culms prostrate, 5–20 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes pubescent. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base truncate. Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate, 1.8–12 cm long, 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or pubescent or pilose. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous or scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 2–3, unilateral, 1–3.5 cm long, 0.9–1.1 mm wide. Central inflorescence axis 0.15–2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged, scabrous on surface, glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial, regular, 2-rowed.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, lower floret sterile, upper fertile, without rhachilla extension, elliptic, slightly dorsally compressed, acute, 2.4–3.7 mm long, falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

Glumes
Glumes dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, clasping, 1.5–2 mm long, 33–50% of length of spikelet, membranous, 5–9-nerved. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong, 3–3.5 mm long, equalling spikelet, membranous, 5–7-nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute, muticous.

Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume, oblong, 3–3.3 mm long, 100% of length of spikelet, membranous, 5-nerved, glabrous, acute. Fertile florets bisexual. Fertile lemma elliptic, 2–2.8 mm long, indurate. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute, muticous. Palea involute, indurate, without keels. Palea surface rugose.

Continental Distribution:
Africa, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific.

Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, Queensland.

Northern Territory: Darwin and Gulf. Queensland: Cook, Burke, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis, Burnett, Moreton, Mitchell.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Panicoideae: Paniceae

Notes
Native. Flowers Jan.–Aug.