Digitaria abludens

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 30–60 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 7–8 cm long; 3 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; unilateral; 6–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets spreading; in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster, or 3 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; scabrous; glabrous; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.3–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins; with capitate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; 5(–7) -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; with capitate hairs; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.3–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Paniceae. Bor 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.