Setaria longipila

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–50 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above; pilose above.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; villous. Panicle branches scabrous; pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 5–10 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1–2 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; compressed slightly; 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; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface corrugate. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Rominger 1994.

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