Setaria nigrirostris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths yellow. Culms 20–200 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent, or glabrous (rarely). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–60 cm long; 1–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 3–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis pubescent, or pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets 1–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 2–15 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 8–10 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2–3(–4) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; (5–)7–9(–11) -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.5–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface punctate; rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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