Digitaria perrieri

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; weak; 3–5 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 0.3–0.7 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral; 0.8–1.2 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.8–0.9 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 1.9–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 1.9–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.8 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid, or yellow; without keel. 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.