Setaria acromelaena

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–150 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–30 cm long; 4–12 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 1–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis pubescent, or pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 3–10 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; few; 6–7 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.66–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.5–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface punctate; unwrinkled, or rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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