Digitaria patagiata

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 5–20 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2.5–3 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 1–6 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; clasping; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; hyaline; pallid; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy between veins; with verruculose hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy between veins; with verruculose hairs; with dorsal tufts of hair (at base); 2 hair tufts in all; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.7 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FWTA.

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