Setaria madecassa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 40–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 6–20 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; densely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; simple; 1.5–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 5–12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 in principal whorl; 1 per spikelet; flexible; glabrous.

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

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; concave across back; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Madag 1997.

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