Digitaria schmitzii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 1–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (1–)2–6; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 3–12 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with sharp-edged midrib.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5–1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure (or the upper a tiny cuff).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; with clavate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–1.8 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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