Setaria fiebrigii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or antrorsely scabrous; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1–1.8 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 10–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches 0.5–3 cm long; sterile at the tips.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 4–12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1–2 per spikelet; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.6–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 0.9–1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma orbicular, or trullate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.6–2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Entre Rios 1995.

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