Digitaria sparsifructus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 5–27 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5–16 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–8.5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–3 in the cluster. Pedicels tip discoid, or cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.75–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface pubescent; with capitate hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; with equidistant veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; pubescent; with capitate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–1.75 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.6 mm long; purple. Stigmas purple.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Paniceae. Veldkamp 1993.

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