Digitaria patens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; ascending, or spreading; unilateral; 5–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–10 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; with hairs extending 1–2 mm beyond apex; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below basal sterile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume hairs white. 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; villous; bearing white hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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