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 apiculata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 30–60 cm long; 5–6 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes black; glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth, or scaberulous; outer margin glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 8–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; light green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; free throughout; 8–12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; few, or numerous; in one whorl; 4–12 in principal whorl; 8–12 mm long; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels reduced to a stump; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; gibbous; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.3–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; gibbous; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute, or apiculate. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface rugose.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; 1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Morrone et al 2015.

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