Digitaria maitlandii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 25–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–30 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 0.1–0.3 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong; 0.3–0.6 mm long; 0.15–0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; 0–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface pubescent; with clavate hairs. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; with clavate hairs; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.8–2.2 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: west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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