Poaceae
Digitaria

Digitaria thyrsoidea Balansa

First published in J. Bot. (Morot) 4: 138 (1890)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Indo-China. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 40-60 cm long; 9-13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes numerous; 20-40; borne along a central axis; the lowest whorled; unilateral; 15-25 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15-25 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing distant. Raceme-bases filiform; 10-20 mm long. Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1-2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.1 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; hyaline. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.3-0.4 mm long; 0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; bearing hairs 0.1-0.35 mm long; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 2-2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; dark brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.
Distribution
Asia-tropical: Indo-China.
Reference
Paniceae. Lecomte 1993.
[GB]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms erect; 60-80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-3 mm long; brown. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 8-14 cm long; 6-8 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 10 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; undulate; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-9; digitate; unilateral; 10-12 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3-4 cm long; glabrous. Rhachis angular; 0.3 mm wide. Spikelet packing lax. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal; 0.5 mm long, or 3 mm long; scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.3 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; membranous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.3-1.5 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; with equidistant veins; pubescent; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3-3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; light brown; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Distribution
Asia-tropical: Indo-China.
Reference
Paniceae. Camus 1997.
[GB]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 75-125 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; obtuse. Leaf-blades 2-40 cm long; 7-9 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 10-20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 5-20 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10-15 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax. Raceme-bases linear; 10-50 mm long. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 3-4 mm long; scaberulous; villous; hairy at base; with 5-6 mm long hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; membranous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.3 mm long; 0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; ciliate on margins; bearing hairs 0.25-0.35 mm long; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3-3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Distribution
Asia-tropical: Indo-China.
Reference
Paniceae. Fl Indo-Chine 1997.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0