GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Setaria albovillosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 25–50 cm long; compressible; 3–5 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–10; borne along a central axis; appressed; flexuous; unilateral; 1–3 cm long; simple, or with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 8–20 cm long; pilose; tip filiform. Rhachis angular; 0.25–0.4 mm wide; with scattered hairs; scabrous on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 0.5–2 mm long. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.2–2.4 mm long; bearing a few hairs; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; acute; 1.5–1.9 mm long; 1–1.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or orbicular; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins parallel at apex; all extending to apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1.5–1.9 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose; with distinct germination flap. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate; 2-keeled. Palea surface rugose.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl NSW 1993.

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