Digitaria tomentosa

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; entire, or lacerate; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 6–12 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface puberulous, or pubescent, or woolly; moderately hairy, or densely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate to corymbose; effuse; 10–20 cm long; 6–12 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 6–12 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.4 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Bor 1993.

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