Digitaria monopholis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; 7–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 8–9 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with sharp-edged midrib.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume lanceolate; spurred (0.2mm); 0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex emarginate, or truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pilose; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; without keel. 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.