Setaria taolanensis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 10–12 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes black. Leaf-sheaths loose; striately veined. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–5 cm long. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; lanceolate. Primary panicle branches 3–4 in number; appressed; bearing 8–10 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis angular; glabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 3 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; in one whorl; 1 in principal whorl; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.6–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.7 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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