Setaria guizhouensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; scaly. Culms erect; 37 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 10–15 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 11 cm long; 0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–0.8 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 2–3 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1–2 in principal whorl; 1–2 per spikelet; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.5 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 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Paniceae. Chen & Shen 1996.

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