Digitaria hengduanensis

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–8 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels 4–8 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with capitate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; with capitate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Paniceae. Liou 1996.

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