106 SETARIA. [cLAg« III. ORDIR M. 



GENUS XXXI. SETA'RIA. Beauv. Bristle Grass. 



Gen. Char. Panicle spiked, cylindrical. Glumes two, unequal, two- 

 flowered ; the spikelets supported on short branched pedicles, two 

 or three of which are surrounded by a hristli/ involure. Florets 

 dissimilar. Glumelles of the perfect floret two, unequal, cartilagi- 

 nous ; glumelles of the neuter or male fl oret one or two, membranous; 

 the smaller one sometimes absent. — Name from Seta, a bristle, on 

 account of the bristly appearance of the spikes. 



1. *S'. vcriicilla'ta, Beauv. (Fig. 132.) rouf/h Bristle grass. Panicle 

 spiked, lobed in the lower part, branches whorled, bristles of the 

 involure, several, prominent, rough, with reversed teeth. 



Lindley Synopsis, p. 309. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 43. — 

 Pan'icum rcrticilla'tum, Linn. — English Botany, t. 875. — English 

 Flora, vol. i. p. 98. 



Root fibrous. Stems one or several from the same root, from eight 

 inches to two feet high, erect, leafy, striated, smooth below, angular 

 at the top and rough, with sharp erect teeth. Leaves rather broad, 

 lanceolate, taper pointed, rough on both sides, the edges very rough, 

 especially near the base where it not unfrequently has a narrow pale 

 cartilaginous border, and one edge of the leaf waved. Sheaths long, 

 striated, smooth. Ligula a tuft of short hairs, which are continued, but 

 scattered for some distance on the edge of the sheath. Inflorescence 

 compound, from one to three inches long, erect, cylindrical, irregularly 

 lobed, the branches short, rough, from three to six in a whorl, each 

 bearing several flowers, every pair of which is subtended by about two 

 long rough bristles. Glumes very unequal, thin, membranous, with 

 greenish ribs, the lower valve the smallest, about half the length oi 

 the upper, and shortly pointed, the upper valve oval, concave, many 

 ribbed, as long as the florets, surrounded at the base by the outer valve. 

 Florets generally in pairs. Glumelles of the perfect floret of two cartila- 

 ginous unequal valves, shining and beautifully impressed with close 

 dotted leaves; the outer concave with inflexed edges, enclosing the 

 plane inner valve. Glumelles of the imperfect floret unequal, tiiin, 

 membranous; the outer large ribbed, concave, greatly resembling the 

 inner glume; the mHpr plane very thin, smaller, or absent. Anthers 

 short, cloven. Stigmas feathery. Seed ovate, dark-coloured, enclosed 

 in the hardened glumelles, which are enveloped by the persistent 

 glumes. 



Habitat. — Rare, between London ami Putney, Battersea fields, and 

 near Norwich; " probably not indigenous." — Hooker. 



Annual; flowering from July to August. 



2. S. vi'ridis, Beauv. (Fig. 133.) Green Bristle grass. Panicle 

 spiked, continuous bristles of the involure, more numerous, and 

 rough, with erect teeth. 



