Digitaria myriostachya

HABIT Annual. Culms erect. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; in several whorls; unilateral; 3–7 cm long; secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 9–18 cm long. Rhachis angular. Raceme-bases brief; hirsute.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal.

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

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; 0.2 length of spikelet. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins (close to margin); pubescent; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1995.

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