Setaria lindenbergiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 30–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base without a false petiole, or with a false petiole. Leaf-blades flat, or plicate (when young and towards base); 10–30 cm long; 1–10(–15) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle branches pubescent, or pilose.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.5–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2–3 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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