Digitaria manongarivensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls evident. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 30 cm long; 0.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 10 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–9 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 7–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged. Raceme-bases linear.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels glabrous; tip cupuliform.

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

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; with verruculose hairs.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; puberulous; with verruculose hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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