Digitaria stenotaphrodes

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–90 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 3–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6; digitate; end to end; erect; unilateral; 4–10 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; folded longitudinally to embrace spikelets and forming pockets; 2–4 mm wide. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 0.1–0.33 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; ribbed; with equidistant veins; smooth; glabrous, or puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and northwestern.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1993.

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