Digitaria aequiglumis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long; 2–4 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; erect, or ascending; flexuous; unilateral; 5–8 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; with equidistant veins; pubescent; hairy between veins, or between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute, or apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl NSW 1993.

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