Poaceae
Digitaria

Digitaria mollicoma (Kunth) Henrard

First published in Blumea 1: 97 (1934)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. China to Nansei-shoto, Indo-China to New Guinea. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; mat forming. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Stolons present. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25-50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-2 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1.25-6 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2-3(-5); paired, or digitate; unilateral; 2.5-12.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0-2 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels tip discoid, or cupuliform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 1.7-2.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 1.7-2.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1.6-2.5 mm long; 0.8-1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface pubescent; with verruculose hairs. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; prominently veined; with equidistant veins; with veins transversely connected at apex; pubescent; with verruculose hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.7-2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; yellow, or light brown; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 0.5-0.9 mm long; pallid, or red (pink).
Distribution
Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia.
Reference
Paniceae. Veldkamp 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0