Digitaria floridana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 20–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–7 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–4; digitate; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–2 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; glabrous on surface.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5–1.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 1.5–1.7 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Man US Gr 1997.

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