Setaria vaginata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 6–42 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; 3–18 cm long; 0.4–1.1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent, or hirsute.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 13–19 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; 3–9 mm long; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; 2–2.6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1.3 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

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; 1.9–2.3 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Fan Sao Paulo 2004.

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