Setaria sagittifolia

HABIT Annual. Culms weak; 20–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base sagittate; with a false petiole (at least the lower). Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–30 cm long; 3–11 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 3–15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle branches secund; scaberulous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 2–15 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; laterally compressed; 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 obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 0.5 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 elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; without grooves; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2 mm long; indurate; keeled. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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