Digitaria bakeri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–2.2 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–24 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–3 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.3–2.4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1.4–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.3–2.4 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown, or black; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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