Digitaria psammophila

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–30 cm long; 5–6 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 1–3 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 3.5–5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 0.5 length of fertile spikelet; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–2.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; ribbed; pubescent; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–2.8 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1994.

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