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Synonyms: |
Digitaria divaricata Henrard Digitaria fenestrata (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Rendle Digitaria ulugurensis Pilg. Digitaria zeyheri (Nees) Henrard Panicum fenestratum Hochst. ex A. Rich. Panicum zeyheri Nees Phalaris velutina Forssk. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
A creeping or decumbent annual. Culms creeping to ascending, 20–50 cm., glabrous, nodes dark and glabrous. Leaf sheaths loosely to densely covered with bulbous based bristles, smooth to scaberulous. Ligule up to 2.5 mm. long, truncate, entire. Leaf laminae 3–13 × 0.3–0.8 cm., linear, flat, loosely to densely hairy and sometimes scaberulous on both surfaces, often with a few bulbous based bristles near the base, scabrous along the margin. Inflorescence composed of (2)3–14 racemes, (3)5–10 cm. long, sometimes in a basal whorl of 3–5 racemes, the other racemes solitary along the well developed common axis. Rhachis triquetrous, winged, up to 0.5 mm. broad, smooth to scaberulous, with scabrous margins. Pedicels 2-nate, 0.5–3 mm. long, triangular, scabrous, slightly broadened at the apex. Spikelets 1.7–2.1 mm. (subsessile spikelets) and 2.0–2.3 mm. long (pedicelled spikelets), oblong-lanceolate. Inferior glume short, truncate, nerveless, often poorly developed. Superior glume 2/3–3/4 of the spikelet, sometimes nearly as long, 3-nerved, appressed hairy, hairs fine, smooth, acute, hyaline. Inferior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong, 7-nerved, appressed hairy. Superior lemma as long as to somewhat shorter than the spikelet, acute, pale to dark brown, often purplish tinged. |
Type location: |
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Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | velutina: velvety |
Habitat: | Weed of disturbed land. |
Altitude range: | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | From Egypt to South Africa |
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | C,S |
Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Lk,W |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
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) Page 171. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 454. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 13. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 36. 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 135. |
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