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 paspalidioides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–70 cm long. Culm-internodes channelled and elliptical in section; ridged; antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes black; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths keeled; ribbed; antrorsely scabrous; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 4–9 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; pilose; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle open; linear. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2.4 cm long; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Involucral bristles persistent; 0–1 per spikelet; 5–10 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; gibbous; acute; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic, or orbicular; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

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

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or ovoid; 1.75 mm long. Embryo 0.66 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Vickery 1993.

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