Setaria oplismenoides

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long; 4–8 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–32 cm long; 4–10.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 18–37 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 2.5–7.5 cm long; bearing 5–15 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; 15–25 mm long; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.3–2.7 mm long; 1.2–1.7 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.7–1.4 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2–2.6 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2.2–2.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster 1993.

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