Compilation
Digitaria mutica

7 Images see all

Previous
Next

Name

Identification
Digitaria mutica Forssk. [family POACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on Sheet, Panicum scalarum Schweinf. [family POACEAE ] Verified by Bräuchler, C., 2012
Related name
  • Digitaria mutica
  • Panicum scalarum

Flora

Entry for DIGITARIA abyssinica (A. Rich.) Stapf [family ]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 451, (1982) Author: W. D. CLAYTON and S.A. RENVOIZE
Names
DIGITARIA abyssinica (A. Rich.) Stapf [family ], in K.B. 1907: 213 (1907) & F.T.A. 9: 460 (1919); E.A. Pasture Plants 2: 14 (1927); Fl. Agrost. Congo Belge 2:42(1934); Chiov., Miss. Biol. Borana Race. Bot.: 274 (1939); Ann. list grasses Ug.: 13 (1947); I.G.U.: 26 (1960); Clayton in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 3: 452 (1972). Type: Ethiopia, Mt. Scholoda, Schimper 82 (K, iso.!)
Panicum abyssinicum A. Rich. [family POACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 360 (1851)
Panicum muticum A. Rich. [family POACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 362 (1851), non Forssk. (1775). Types: Ethiopia, Memsah and Ouodgerate, Quartin Dillon & Petit (P, syn.) & Adua [Adoa], Schimper 95 (K, isosyn.!)
Digitaria vestita Fig. & De Not. [family ], in Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, ser. 2, 14: 356, fig. 22 (1854); F.P.S. 3: 435 (1956). Type: Sudan, Fazogli, Figari (whereabouts uncertain, not FI)
Panicum scalarum Schweinf. [family POACEAE], in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2, App. 2: 20 (1894). Based on P. muticum A. Rich.
Panicum scalarum Chiov. var. elatior [family POACEAE], in Ann. 1st. Bot. Roma 6: 166, fig. 9 (1896). Type: Somalia, Habr Amal, Robecchi-Bricchetti (Fl, holo.!)
Panicum kafuroense K. Schum. [family POACEAE], in E.J. 24: 334 (1897). Type: Tanzania, Bukoba District, Kafuro, Stuhlmann 1709 (K, iso.!)
Panicum hackelii Pilg. [family POACEAE], in E.J. 30: 118 (1901). Type: Gabon, Sibange, Soyaux 425 (K, iso.!)
Digitaria abyssinica (Schweinf.) Stapf var. scalarum [family ], in K.B. 1907: 213 (1907)
Digitaria mutica Rendle [family ], in J.L.S. 40: 229 (1911). Based on Panicum muticum A. Rich.
Digitaria somalensis Chiov. [family ], Result. Sci. Miss. Stef.-Paoli, Coll. Bot. 1: 224(1917) & Fl. Somala 2: 443 (1932); Henr., Monogr. Digitaria: 701 (1950). Type: Somalia, vicinity of Merca, Provenzales (FI, lecto.!)
Digitaria scalarum (Schweinf.) Chiov. [family ], Result. Sci. Miss. Stef.-Paoli, Coll. Bot. 1: 225 (1916); Ann. list grasses Ug.: 14 (1947); Imp. Grassl. Pl. Kenya: 56 (1951); F.P.N.A. 3: 76 (1955); R.K.G.: 49 (1958); Ann. list Nyasaland grasses: 36 (1958); I.G.U.: 26 (1960); G.T.: 77(1965)
Digitaria hackelii (Pilg.) Stapf [family ], in F.T.A. 9: 459 (1919)
Digitaria eichingeri Mez [family ], in E.J. 57: 193 (1921). Type: Tanzania, Lushoto District, Buiko, Eichinger in Herb. Amani 3397 (B, holo., K, photo.!)
Digitaria merkeri Mez [family ], in E.J. 57: 193 (1921). Types: Tanzania, Moshi, Merker 338 (B, syn.) & Rungwe District, Kyimbila, Stolz 983 (K, isosyn.!) & without locality, Herb. Amani 2336 (B, syn.)
Digitaria ciliaris Vanderyst [family ], in Bull. Agric. Congo Belge 16: 659 (1925); Vanderyst in Bull. Agric. Congo Belge 10: 242 (1919), nom. prov., non (Retz.) Koel. (1802). Types: Zaire, cultivated at Leverville, originally from Kinshasa, Vanderyst B.106 & B.106 bis (both BR, syn.!)
Digitaria tangaensis Henr. [family ], in Blumea 1: 103 (1934). Type: Tanzania, Tanga District, Kigombe, Scholz 1613 (B, holo.!)
Digitaria scalarum Hubbard & Snowden var. elgonensis [family ], in K.B. 1934: 111 (1934); Ann. list grasses Ug.: 15 (1947). Type: Uganda, Mbale District, Butandiga, Snowden 1233 (K, holo.!)
Digitaria vestita (Hubbard & Snowden) Henr. subvar. elgonensis [family ], Monogr. Digitaria: 670 (1950)
Digitaria vestita (Schweinf.) Henr. var. scalarum [family ], Monogr. Digitaria: 785 (1950)
Digitaria velutina Gilli var. glabrescens [family ], in Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 69: 39 (1966). Types: Tanzania, Njombe District, Uwemba, Gilli 41 & 42 (both W, syn.!)
Information
Creeping perennial with wiry rhizomes, forming mats; culms 5–60 cm. high, weak, decumbent below, the basal sheaths usually glabrous, occasionally pubescent or villous. Leaf-blades broadly linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2–12 cm. long, 3–10 mm. wide. Inflorescence of 2–25 racemes arranged on a short common axis 1–9 cm. long; racemes 2–11 cm. long, the spikelets paired on a triquetrous rhachis with or without narrow wings, sometimes the pedicels forked. Spikelets ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, usually plump, 1.5–2.5 mm. long, mostly tinged with purple; lower glume a membranous scale, very variable in size, 0.1–0.8 mm. long, ± ovate; upper glume 2/3 to as long as the spikelet, 3–7-nerved, glabrous, the nerves usually rather prominent; lower lemma as long as the spikelet, 7-nerved, glabrous (sometimes obscurely puberulous on the margin, very rarely distinctly hairy–see note); fruit ellipsoid, in various shades of light brown, grey and purple. Fig. 147.
Range
DISTR. U1–4; K1–7; T1–8; P Cameroun to Arabia, southwards to South Africa
Altitude range
0–2900 m.
Distribution
KENYA Trans-Nzoia District 24 km. W. of Kitale, 3 Jan. 1963, Bogdan 5614!KENYA Kiambu District Muguga, 1 May 1951, Trapnell 2105!KENYA Tana River District Kurawa, 21 Sept. 1961, Polhill& Paulo 532!TANZANIA Mbulu District Mahali pa Nyati, 28 May 1965, Greenway & Kanuri 12090!TANZANIA Lushoto District Bumbuli, 11 May 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2502! & Amani, 17 Apr. 1968, Renvoize & Abdallah 1561!TANZANIA Pemba I., near Ngezi Forest, 11 Dec. 1930, Greenway 2705!UGANDA Mbale District Butandiga, 9 Dec. 1927. Snowden 1232!UGANDA Masaka District Kisozi, 3 Mar. 1933, AS. Thomas 940!UGANDA Mengo District Kampala, Makerere University Hill, 21 Nov. 1969, Lye 4722!
Distribution (external)
Madagascar
Sri Lanka
Notes
D. abyssinica is very variable in the size, shape and venation of the glumes, characters which are not correlated with one another and which seem to be of no taxonomic significance.There are many local races, but none sufficiently distinct to warrant special recognition. It is typically creeping and mat-forming, but the stature varies from tiny depauperate plants (var. elgonensis) to tall erect clumps (D. eichingeri). The pyramidal panicle with untidily arranged spikelets is characteristic, but there is a gradual transition to the kind of long slender racemes found in D. gazensis. The spikelets are typically glabrous and plump, but very rarely the upper glume and lower lemma may be slightly hairy. Hairy specimens with brown fruits and broad leaf-blades can be referred to D. pearsonii, but the remainder with characteristically plump spikelets and large lower glumes (including the types of D. hackelii, D. somalensis and D. tangaensis) are best accommodated here. They probably indicate introgression from one of the neighbouring species, but are insufficiently distinct to justify the recognition of a separate taxon.

Related Materials