Digitaria monobotrys

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 25–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–3 cm long; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1(–2); single; unilateral; 5–9 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–2.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; spurred (0.5mm); 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. 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; pilose; hairy below; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; keeled; lightly keeled; keeled below. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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