Digitaria eggersii

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; slender; 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches sparse. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 1–5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0–0.5 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; prominently veined; villous; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 1.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Man Gr US 1994.

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