Digitaria villosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 75–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 13–25 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets appressed; in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface 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; 7 -veined; pubescent; with capitate hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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