Digitaria ankaratrensis

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 3–4 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 0.3–0.5 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes, or comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 2–5 fertile spikelets.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 0.3–0.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.5–1.7 mm long; falling entire.

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

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.4 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1994.

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