Digitaria texana

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms decumbent; 30–70 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–12; digitate; unilateral; 6–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 2–2.5 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; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous, or 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; puberulous, or pubescent; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; grey; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Palea cartilaginous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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