Digitaria tararensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–2.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–12 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 4–16 cm long; simple, or with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 1.5–5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.4 mm long; 0.1–0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate to acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1–2 mm long; 0.4–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins without cross-veins. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Paniceae. Veldkamp 1993.

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