Digitaria venezuelae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 10 cm long; 3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 2 cm long; glabrous.

Racemes 4–5; digitate; unilateral; 12–14 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.3 mm wide; scabrous on margins.

Spikelets appressed; in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal; 1–3 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.7–2.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy between veins; with clavate hairs. Upper glume hairs tawny. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; with clavate hairs; bearing tawny hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.7–2.2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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