Digitaria neesiana

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths pubescent; with tawny hairs; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 50–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; digitate, or borne along a central axis; unilateral; 7–15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; with hairs extending 0.5–1 mm beyond apex; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 0.05 length of spikelet. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; 2.25 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; villous; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1995.

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