Digitaria veldkampiana

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 30–50 cm long; 4–8 -noded. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–6 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; digitate; spreading; unilateral; 6–10 cm long; bearing 26–32 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis wingless, or narrowly winged; angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; heteromorphic (pedicelled spikelets with ciliate margins). Pedicels unequal; 0.7–3 mm long; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; 1–1.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.2 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy between veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; with equidistant veins; glabrous, or pubescent; villous on margins (pedicelled spikelet); acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Simon 2011.

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