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Synonyms: |
Digitaria antunesii Mez Digitaria herpoclados Pilg. Digitaria nyassana Mez Digitaria proxima Henrard Digitaria usambarica Mez Digitaria villosissima Chiov. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
A densely caespitose perennial on a very short rhizome, sometimes stoloniferous, base surrounded by velvety hairy cataphylls and withered leaf sheaths. Culms 40–120 cm., erect or creeping, glabrous, nodes dark and typically hairy. Leaf sheaths loosely to densely hairy. Ligule up to 3 mm. long, triangular, rounded. Leaf laminae 5–15 × 0.3–0.5 cm., linear, flat, loosely to densely hairy on both surfaces, scabrous along the margin. Inflorescence composed of 5–17 racemes, 8–20 cm. long, erect to patent, few together or solitary along a well developed common axis. Rhachis triquetrous, scarcely winged, up to 0.3 mm. broad, smooth, with scabrous margins. Pedicels 2-nate, 0.5–3.5 mm. long, triangular, scabrous, broadened at the apex. Spikelets 1.9–2.6 mm. long, oblong. Inferior glume up to 0.5 mm. long, ovate, truncate, nerveless, hyaline. Superior glume as long as the spikelet, oblong, membranous near the apex, 5-nerved, purplish, appressed hairy, hairs very slender, slightly undulating, often with incurved apex, often purplish. Inferior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong, membranous near the apex, 7-nerved, purplish, appressed hairy. Superior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong, acute, bluish green to bluish purple |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | gazensis: of Gazaland, a historic name for Southern Mozambique. |
Habitat: | In degraded woodland, miombo woodland, also in dambos, vlei verges and salt marshes. |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Madagascar, from DRC and Sudan southwards to Namibia and South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Tuesday 3 October 2017 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 21. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 13. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 162 - 163. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 35. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 102. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 188. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 85. |
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