Digitaria baileyi

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths villous. Culms erect; 45–60 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 7–14 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–9; borne along a central axis; ascending, or spreading; unilateral; 7–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–6 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing distant.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 2 mm long; scabrous; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.5 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1–0.5 mm long; 0.05–0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.5–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -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; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl NSW 1993.

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