Setaria mendocina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 30–80 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 8–20 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; 5–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Involucral bristles persistent; 1–2 per spikelet; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Upper glume margins pubescent. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; scabrous; rough at apex; cuspidate. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Pat 1995.

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