Digitaria gaudichaudii

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 4–8 mm wide; coriaceous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–16; digitate; unilateral; 6–12 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 0.5–1 mm wide. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure, or one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; (1–)3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; ribbed; with equidistant veins; scabrous; rough on veins; glabrous, or puberulous; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: northwestern.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1993.

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