Digitaria stricta

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–15(–30) cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6(–17); digitate; unilateral; 4–14 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–3(–5) cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels scabrous; bearing a few hairs; hairy at tip; with 0.2–1 mm long hairs; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 1.1–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure, or one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume elliptic; 0–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or 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; 3(–5) -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; with capitate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.1–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown, or black; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Bor 1993.

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