Digitaria andringitrensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–50 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–6 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous. Leaf-blade margins undulate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–8; digitate; erect; unilateral; 4–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2.5–3 cm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.3 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.3 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; with simple hairs. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–2.7 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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