pamce^: 



113 



Setaria verticillafa, Beauv. 



This is an annual grass, with erect, ascending, stout or slender, 

 leafy stems, more or less branched and varying in length from I to 

 5 feet. 



The leaf-sheaths are smooth, glabrous. The ligule is a fringe of 

 hairs. Nodes are glabrous. 



The leaf-blades are thin, flat, glabrous, sparsely hairy and scab- 

 erulous, linear or linear-lanceolate, tapering to a fine point, base 

 usually narrowed, 4 to 10 inches long and % to V\ inch broad. 



The inflorescence is a spike-like or subpyramidal panicle, cylin- 

 dric or oblong, coarsely bristly, 2 to 7 inches long, bristles one or 

 few, studded with conspicuously reversed barbs or teeth, % to % 

 inch long. 



The spikelets are ellipsoidal, obtuse, glabrous r /ia inch long. 



There are four glumes. The first glume is very small, broadly 

 ovate, acute, hyaline, faintly 3-nerved. The second glume is as 

 long as the spikelet or a little shorter, ovate, subacute, thinly mem- 

 branous and 5-nerved. The third glume is equal to the second or 

 a little longer, membranous and 5-nerved, paleate or empty, 



FlG. 112 — Setaria verticillata. 



1 and 2. Spikelets with bristles ; 3, 4 and 5. the first, second and the third glume, 

 respectively ; 6. palea of the third glume ; 7 and 8. the fourth glume and its palea ; 9. 

 ovary, stamens and lodicules ; 10. a bit of the bristle showing the reversed barbs. 



palea when present, is small and hyaline. The fourth glume is 

 elliptic-oblong, plano-convex, subobtuse, smooth or shining, 

 though faintly striate, coriaceous with incurved margins ; palea is 

 coriaceous, as long as the glume, elliptic, faintly striate. Stamens 

 are three. Lodicules are small. 



This grass grows in shady places in very rich soils generally 

 and is abundant in shady nooks and corners where there are 

 rubbish heaps. 



Distribution. — Throughout India and Ceylon. 

 '5 



