Digitaria fauriei

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15–20 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; paired, or digitate; erect; unilateral; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; with rounded midrib; 0.8–1 mm wide; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.3–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface puberulous, or pubescent; with verruculose hairs.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; puberulous, or pubescent; with verruculose hairs (with or without coiled tip); bearing yellow hairs; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; purple, or black; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3–0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl China 2002.

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