Setaria appendiculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 50–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base sagittate. Leaf-blades 7–30 cm long; 3–12 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; interrupted; 10–25 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis glabrous, or pubescent.

Spikelets solitary, or subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 3–12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 0–1 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; 2–2.7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.5 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; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; not gibbous; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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