Digitaria brunoana

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms prostrate; 5–10 cm long. Culm-nodes brown. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths 0.4–3 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–6 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 0.5–3 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2(–4); paired, or digitate; unilateral; 0.6–2.7 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with rounded midrib; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster, or 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 1–1.2 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; with simple hairs. 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; pubescent; with simple hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1–1.2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8–1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. Raimondo 1997.

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