Digitaria californica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–12 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–8; borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 3–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–7 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; with hairs extending 2–4 mm beyond apex; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below basal sterile floret.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.6 mm long; 0.15 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume hairs white; 2–4 mm long. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; glabrous; ciliate on margins; bearing white hairs; bearing hairs 2–4 mm long; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: northern South America, western South America, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1993.

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