Digitaria siamensis

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled; hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 8–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 8–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–9 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 2 mm long; with hairs extending 0 mm beyond apex; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins; with clavate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; with clavate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1993.

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