Digitaria perpusilla

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 3–7 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; linear, or lanceolate, or oblong; 0.5–1.5 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 0.5–1.5 cm long; glabrous.

Racemes 1–2; single, or paired; erect; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels tip discoid, or cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.6–1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 1.4–1.7 mm long; 0.8–0.95 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; glabrous; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6–1.8 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long; yellow. Stigmas purple.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Paniceae. Veldkamp 1997.

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