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Synonyms: |
Digitaria apiculata var. hirta P. Goetghebeur Digitaria apiculata Stent Digitaria keniensis Pilg. Digitaria maitlandii var. glabra Van der Veken |
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Frequency: | |
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Description: |
A tightly caespitose perennial, base surrounded by cataphylls and leaf sheath remnants. Culms 20–60 cm., erect, glabrous, nodes dark and glabrous. Leaf sheaths scaberulous and sometimes loosely hairy. Ligule 0.5 mm. long, truncate, shortly ciliate. Leaf laminae 5–15 × 0.2–0.4 cm., linear, flat or involute, densely papillose and loosely-hairy on the superior surface, scaberulous and loosely to densely hairy on the inferior, smooth to scaberulous along the margins. Inflorescence composed of 3–8 racemes, 4–9 cm. long, paired or solitary along a short common axis. Rhachis triquetrous, narrowly winged, up to 0.4 mm. broad, smooth with scabrous margins. Pedicels 3-nate, 0.2–3 mm. long, subterete to subtriangular, scabrous, broadened at the apex, which bears no coronula. Spikelets 1.8–2.2 mm. long, oblong. Inferior glume absent or obsolete, rim-like. Superior glume c. 1/4–1/3 of the spikelet, ovate, (0)1–3-nerved, glabrous or with a few short, thick hairs, broadened and rounded at the apex. Inferior lemma somewhat shorter than to as long as the spikelet, 3–5(7)-nerved, oblong, hyaline, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. Superior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong, apiculate, dark red brown. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | Mountain grassland. |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
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Worldwide distribution: | Botswana, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 342. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 21. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 146 - 147. (Includes a picture). 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. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 134. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 146. |
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