Setaria finita

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–100 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–35 cm long; 4–12 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle branches scabrous; terminating in a 6–10 mm long bristle.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 3.2–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.5 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; setaceously attenuate. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.7–2.2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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