Digitaria ternata* (A.Rich.) Stapf. Fl. Cap. 7: 376 (1898).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or Replacement Name: Cynodon ternatus Hochst. ex A. Rich., Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 405 (1851).
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: LT: Schimper 76, 23 Sept 1837, Ethiopia: Tigray: prope Adoua, herba mala in campis poae Abyssinicae culti prope Adoam (P; IST: B, K, L, US-3298788, WAG). LT designated (as type) by Henrard, Monogr. Digitaria 738 (1950).
Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (221).
Illustrations: [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (221).
Habit. Annual. Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 20–100 cm tall, 2–4 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, 5–25(–40) cm long, 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, glabrous.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence digitate or subdigitate, with racemose branches. Racemes 2–11, 3–23 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0.5–20 cm long.
Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled, 3 in the cluster. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, elliptic, dorsally compressed, 1.8–2.7 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic, 1.6–1.8 mm long, membranous, without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5(–9) -nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.8–2.7 mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate. Lodicules present.
Continental Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, North America, and South America.
Australian Distribution: New South Wales, Tasmania.
New South Wales: Northern Tablelands, Southern Tablelands. Tasmania: East Coast.
Notes. Introduced. In tropical and subtropical wet sclerophyll forests, dry sclerophyll forests, temperate sub-humid woodlands, and semi-arid shrub woodlands. A naturalized species found on disturbed habitats in eastern N.S.W. Flowers Jan.-Apr.
