Digitaria distans

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 60–70 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; digitate; unilateral; 6–11 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.1–0.5 mm long; 0.05–0.15 length of spikelet; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume elliptic; 3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -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 elliptic; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; grey; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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