Brachiaria deflexa (Schumach.) Robyns

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Rimiti West, by rd from Mutare to Birchenough Bridge

Photo: Petra Ballings
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River

Photo: Petra Ballings
By rd from Shashe Wilderness Camp to the National Parks office

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Synonyms:	Brachiaria regularis (Nees) Stapf Panicum deflexum Schumach. Panicum ramosum Arechav. var. deflexum (Schumach.) Peter Panicum regulare Nees Pseudobrachiaria deflexa (Schumach.) Launert
Common names:	Annual brachiaria (English) False signal grass (English)
Frequency:	Common at medium and low altitudes
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual tufted grass, bright green when young, 15 to 70 cm. Leaves along the stems, lanceolate. Inflorescence of 7-15 racemes, often with paired spikelets.
Notes:	An atypical species of Brachiaria (at one time separated from the rest as Pseudobrachiaria) whose paniculate inflorescence could lead to confusion with Panicum.
Derivation of specific name:	deflexa: deflexed (racemes)
Habitat:	Along road sides and in disturbed places, often in light shade.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1290 m
Flowering time:	Dec - Jun
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa and with a few records from India.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 6. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Page 78. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 491. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 6. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 31. Also as Brachiaria regularis Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 101. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 54 - 55. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 132. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 191. as Pseudobrachiaria deflexa

Other sources of information about Brachiaria deflexa:

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Flora of Botswana: Brachiaria deflexa
Flora of Burundi: Brachiaria deflexa
Flora of Caprivi: Brachiaria deflexa
Flora of Malawi: Brachiaria deflexa
Flora of Mozambique: Brachiaria deflexa
Flora of Zambia: Brachiaria deflexa

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Brachiaria deflexa
African Plant Database: Brachiaria deflexa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Brachiaria deflexa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Brachiaria deflexa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Brachiaria deflexa
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Brachiaria deflexa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Brachiaria deflexa
JSTOR Plant Science: Brachiaria deflexa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Brachiaria deflexa
Plants of the World Online: Brachiaria deflexa
Tropicos: Brachiaria deflexa
Wikipedia: Brachiaria deflexa