Setaria liebmannii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–20 cm long; 10–20 mm wide; yellowish green. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; loose; tapering above and tapering below; straight, or curved; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 0.5–2.5 cm long; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; scabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 7–15 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 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 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 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 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface corrugate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Rominger 1994.

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