Setaria pflanzii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 12–32 cm long; 6–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; (8–)14–26 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; glabrous to pubescent.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 3–5 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 3–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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