Setaria uda

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or decumbent; 40–90 cm long; spongy; 6–10 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–1.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–20 cm long; 5–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 1.5–2 cm long; bearing 7–13 fertile spikelets on each; secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 12–19 cm long; tip filiform. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scabrous on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 2–4 mm long. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.25–0.35 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; 2.7–3 mm long; 1.1–1.4 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.4–0.6 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline, or membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or obovate; 1.7–2 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; hyaline, or membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 2.7–3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–2.9 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. 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. Webster 1993.

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