Digitaria pusilla

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 7–15 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths 0.5–1 cm long; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 1–2.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2(–3); paired; unilateral; 1.5–3 cm long. Rhachis flattened.

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

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

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; 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; 7 -veined; pubescent; with verruculose hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; purple; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Paniceae. Gilliland 1993.

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