Digitaria philippinensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 5.5–14 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pilose above.

Racemes 3–4; digitate; unilateral; 7.5–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0–0.5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels tip discoid, or cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 1.85–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1.35–1.5 mm long; 0.7–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1.6–1.8 mm long; 0.85–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; with equidistant veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.8–2 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; 0.6 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Paniceae. Veldkamp 1993.

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