Digitaria panicea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; flexuous; conduplicate, or involute; 5–10 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 0.75 mm wide. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–3 in the cluster. Pedicels pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.25–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with capitate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; pubescent; with capitate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.25–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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