Setaria ankarensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 40–50 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; convolute; 4–8 cm long; 1.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–4; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 0.8–1.2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; terminating in a barren extension; extension flattened. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; acute; 2.2–2.3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.4–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.8–1.9 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or ovate; 2.2–2.3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 2.2–2.3 mm long. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 2.1–2.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea reflexed at apex; 1 length of lemma; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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