Setaria elegantula

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–20 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–17 cm long; tip filiform. Rhachis angular; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; terete.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 1.6–1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; hyaline, or membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; 1.6–1.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.6–1.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6–1.8 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose; rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate; 2-keeled.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: southwestern.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC 1996.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.