Digitaria henrardii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.75–1.75 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 1.5–7.5 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 1.5–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–2.75 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels curved; tip discoid, or cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.1–0.3 mm long; 0.05–0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; (3–)5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface pubescent. 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; with equidistant veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.6 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Paniceae. Veldkamp 1993.

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