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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Digitaria minima

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.45–0.75 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades spreading, or reflexed; 0.5–5.7 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; borne along a central axis; ascending; unilateral; 0.7–3.5 cm long; bearing 8–20 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 1.5–3 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 0.2–0.27 mm wide; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal; 1.4–2 mm long; smooth, or scabrous; glabrous; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.2–1.55 mm long; 0.47–0.55 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 0.1–0.2 mm long; 0.1–0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1–1.3 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–7 -veined; distinctly veined; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy between veins, or between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.2–1.55 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface reticulate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster 1993.

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