Setaria forbesiana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 90–140 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths 9–13 cm long; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–45 cm long; 15–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; densely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or pyramidal; 15–26 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; 2–3.5 cm long; sterile at the tips. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Involucral bristles persistent; 1–2 per spikelet; 8–12 mm long; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels reduced to a stump; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.7–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–2.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Patunkar 1993.

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