Digitaria intecta

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 15–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 6–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–20; borne along a central axis; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 4–15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–10 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets in pairs, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–4 in the cluster. Pedicels setose; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.2–1.3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret orbicular; 0.15–0.33 length of spikelet; hyaline; 1 -veined; without lateral veins; glabrous; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.2–1.3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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