Var. ciliaris.
This is an annual grass either with erect tall stems or long prostrate stems, varying in length from 1 to 3 feet or more.
The leaf-sheath is herbaceous, loose and glabrous. The ligule is a distinct membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate or linear, flat, glabrous or very sparsely hairy, varying in length from 2 to 5 or 6 inches and in breadth from 1/6 to 1/3 inch.
The spikes are usually few, 2 to 6, 3 to 6 inches long, with a triquetrous, narrowly winged rachis.
The spikelets are oblong, acute, binate, one pedicel being shorter than the other, usually appressed to the rachis and not spreading.
Fig. 72.—Digitaria sanguinalis. Var. ciliaris.
1. A portion of the spike showing the binate spikelets; 2. a spikelet; 3. the minute scale-like first glume; 4, 5 and 6. the second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 7. the palea of the fourth glume.
There are four glumes including the minute glume. The first glume is a very minute scale. The second glume is about half as long as the third glume, membranous, usually 3-nerved and sometimes 3- to 5-nerved, distinctly ciliate. The third glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute, membranous, 3- to 5-nerved, sparingly hairy in the lower spikelet and densely bearded with soft spreading hairs in the upper spikelet. The fourth glume is lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, acute, somewhat chartaceous, paleate; palea is like the glume in texture. Anthers are pale yellow. Stigmas are white. There are two small cuneate lodicules.