Digitaria catamarcensis

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 68–100 cm long. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2.5 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades 7–23 cm long; 3–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–27 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal; 1–6.5 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6.3–6.6 mm long; with hairs extending 3 mm beyond apex; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–0.7 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 5.5–5.7 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume hairs dark brown. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pilose; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; bearing dark brown hairs; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 3 mm long. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.4 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–5.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.3–2.6 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Agrasar 1995.

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