Setaria petiolata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms weak; 20–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 0.5–5 cm long. Leaf-blades 7–30 cm long; 2–20 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear, or lanceolate; 3–17 cm long. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle branches villous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 5–10 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 5–7 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.5–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.66 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.5–2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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