Setaria vatkeana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 30–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 10–15 cm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 10–30 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 7–30 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 10–20 in number; appressed; 1–4 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle branches secund.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 5–10 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 4–5 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; gibbous; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 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; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; winged on margins; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2.5–3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Bosser.

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