Digitaria leptalea

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5(–10) cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; ascending; arcuate; unilateral; 2–7 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; with rounded midrib; 0.3–0.5 mm wide.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 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; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with verruculose hairs.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; puberulous, or pubescent; with verruculose hairs. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.2–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; purple, or black; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4 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.