Digitaria sanguinalis

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent, or prostrate; 10–30 cm long; 3–8 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–10 cm long; 3–8 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; digitate; unilateral; 4–18 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.5–3.3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.3–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins. 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 equidistant veins; scabrous; rough on veins; puberulous; hairy between veins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3.3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Paniceae. CEH.

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