Digitaria madagascariensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped moderately, or densely. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 50–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 2.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; densely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 4–15 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets in threes, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3–5 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.2–2.6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Upper glume hairs yellow. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; bearing yellow hairs; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–2.6 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: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Madag 1997.

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