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Master Key

Species Key

Glossary

D. bicornis

D. ciliaris

D. eriantha

D. filiformis

D. horizontalis

D. insularis

D. longiflora

D. serotina

 

Digitaria

(Note: Lower glume absent or very small)

1. Spikelets silky, 4.2-5.9 mm long…D. insularis

1. Spikelets variably pubescent or not, < 4 mm long…2

2. Spikelets ≤ 2 mm long…3

2. Spikelets > 2 mm long…5

3.  Inflorescence branches 3-25 cm long.  Leaf blades to 40 cm long (but often much smaller).  Lower glume present.  Spikelet hairs glandular-capitate…D. filiformis

3.  Inflorescence branches 2-9 cm long.  Leaf blades 1.5-9 cm long.  Lower glume absent.  Spikelet hairs not glandular-capitate…4

4.  Spikelets 1.2-1.5 mm long.  Upper (only) glume as long as the spikelet or nearly so.  Leaf sheaths glabrous…D. longiflora (Looks like Paspalum conjugatum)

4. Spikelets 1.5-1.8 mm long.  Upper (only) glume 1/3 the spikelet length.  Leaf sheaths pubescent…D. serotina

5. Spikelets 2.1-2.4 mm long…D. horizontalis

5. Spikelets > 2.5 mm long…6

6. Upper glume < 1/3 the spikelet length…D. setigera (sheath with papillose-based hairs.  Lower glume absent;  recorded for Miami-Dade County,  unlikely in our area)

6. Upper glume > 1/3 the length of the spikelet…7

7. Lower lemma with the veins evenly spaced on the sessile spikelet.  Fresh young pedicellate spikelet margins with stiff, protruding bristles distinguished from smaller, thinner, softer hairs; not stoloniferous…D. bicornis

7. Lower lemma with the lateral veins crowded near the margin on the sessile spikelet.  Spikelet margins with soft cilia but no stiff protruding bristles.  Plants stoloniferous or not…8

8. Plants usually strongly stoloniferous with long runners.  Anthers > 1 mm long.  Ligule erose-cilioate.  Upper glume 1.7-1.9 mm long …D. eriantha (D. pentzii)

8. Plants stoloniferous or not stoloniferous.  Anthers < 1 mm long.  Ligules erose or entire and eciliate.  Upper glume (1.2)1.5-2.7 mm…D. ciliaris