Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Stapf & C.E.Hubb. ex Moss

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136661238/136661270

Conservation

LC - least concern

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial arising from short rhizomes, these occasionally elongated and creeping; basal sheaths often flabellate, sometimes conspicuously so; culms 20–300 cm. high, the nodes quite glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 10–50 cm. long, 2–17 mm. wide, acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle spiciform, cylindrical, 3–50 cm. long, spikelets pallid to purple with fulvous bristles (except var. torta), the rhachis tomentellous; bristles 1.5–12 mm. long, 6–15 below each cluster of 1–4 spikelets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets elliptic, oblique but scarcely gibbous or laterally compressed, 1.5–3.5 mm. long; lower glume up to 1/2 as long as the spikelet, obtuse or acute; upper glume 1/3–2/3(–3/4) as long as the spikelet, (3–)5-nerved; lower floret male, its lemma thinly papery; upper lemma rugose, usually strongly so, but occasionally almost smooth.

Habitat

Occupies a wide range of habitats from stony hillsides in deciduous bushland or wooded grassland, to swamps and riversides; the habitat seems to be independent of variety; 0–3300 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 tropical and South Africa;

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora Zambesiaca 10:3. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial, arising from a short rhizome.

Morphology Culms

Culms 20–300 cm. high, the nodes quite glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle 3–50 cm. long, spiciform, cylindrical, spikelets mostly pallid to purple with fulvous bristles, the rhachis tomentellous; bristles 1.5–12 mm. long, 6–15 below each cluster of 1–4 spikelets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.5–3.5 mm. long, elliptic, oblique but scarcely gibbous or laterally compressed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Inferior glume up to 1/2, the superior 1/3–2/3(3/4) length of spikelet and (3)5-nerved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Inferior floret male, its lemma thinly papery. Superior floret rugose, usually strongly so, but occasionally almost smooth.

Inferior

Inferior floret male, its lemma thinly papery.

Superior

Superior floret rugose, usually strongly so, but occasionally almost smooth.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial about 1 m. high, arising from a short rhizome.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short, or elongated. Butt sheaths withering, or persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations subterete, or flabellate. Culms 20-300 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10-50 cm long; 2-17 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; 3-50 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 sessile; 1-4 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 1.5-12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 6-15 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5-3.5 mm long; falling entire.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5-3.5 mm long; falling entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25-0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3(-5) -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.33-0.66(-0.75) length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

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

Distribution

Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central. North America: southwest USA. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

Reference

Paniceae. FTEA.