Fonio (Digitaria exilis)
Description
The fonio is an annual, erect herbaceous plant which reaches stature heights from 30 to 80 centimeters. The ears consist of two to five narrow part ears, which are up to 15 centimeters long. The spikelets comprise a sterile flower and a fertile flower, the latter of which gives rise to the fonio grain. The grain is a caryopsis, which remains surrounded by glumes and husks. Its size is very small, only 1.5 mm (around 2000 seeds to 1 gram).The colour ranges from white, yellow and purple. Fonio mature faster than all other cereals. Some varieties can already be harvested 42-56 days after sowing. Other ripen more slowly, usually in 165-180 days.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Poales
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Family: Poaceae
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Genus: Digitaria
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