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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Setaria tenax

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 100–200 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2 mm long. Collar bearded. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; loose; tapering above; 10–35 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–3 cm long; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; scabrous; pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 10–20 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; flexible; retrorsely scaberulous; retrorse above, antrorse below, or mingled with antrorse scabridity; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; hemispherical; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2–2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Rominger 1994.

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