Setaria oplismenoides R.A.W.Herrm.

Herrmann, R.A.W. (1910) Beitrage zur Biologie der Pflanzen : 53. Type: Australien: Nord-Kuste ohne Standortsangabe (Schomburgs). Herb. Wien.

Perennial with short to elongated rhizomes. Culms erect; 60-130 cm long; 4-8 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous.

Leaf-blades 10-32 cm long and 4-10.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pubescent. Leaf-sheaths keeled, outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs 1-2 mm long.

Inflorescence an open panicle, lanceolate in outline, 18-37 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, 2.5-7.5 cm long bearing 5-15 fertile spikelets on each lower branch almost to the base; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis scabrous; branches scabrous. Sikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; single. Involucre composed of persistent bristles, 1 per spikelet, 15-25 mm long, flexible, glabrous. Fertile spikelets comprising of a single basal sterile floret and a fertile floret; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, dorsally compressed, 2.3-2.7 mm long and 1.2-1.7 mm wide; falling entire. Glumes shorter than the spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, 0.7-1.4 mm long; less than half the length of the spikelet, membranous, without keels, 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, 2-2.6 mm long; slightly shorter than the spikelet, membranous, without keels, 7-9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute. Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic, equal length of spikelet, membranous, 5-7 -veined, acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, dorsally compressed, gibbous, 2.2-2.7 mm long, without a keel. Lemma surface rugulose, margins involute, apex acute. Palea involute, indurate, with a rugose surface.

Features not available.

Occurs in the NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards to central Queensland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 450 m. Grows in rainforest, Eucalypt forest, vine forest and thicket, Eucalypt woodland and in beach scrub.