Digitaria dunensis

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 20–40 cm long. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins entire, or crenate; smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (3–)7–13; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; smooth on margins, or scaberulous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels angular; unequal; 0.5–2.5 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.3–2.6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown, or dark brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FZ.

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