S. ITALIC A, KUNTH, HUNGARIAN GRASS. 175 



or narrow panicle. Glumes 4, the three outer membranous, the 

 lower very small, the second shorter than the third, both empty, 

 the third usually longer, empty or rarely inclosing a palea or 

 male flower, or sterile; the terminal inclosing the perfect flower, 

 shorter, obtuse, indurated as well as the inclosed palea, shining 

 or transversely wrinkled, or simply dotted in lines. Stamens 3. 

 Styles distinct from the base, elongated, stigmas feathery. Cary- 

 opsis included in the hard floral'glume and palea, free. Annual 

 grasses, often tall with flat leaves. Panicle terminal. Species 

 about ten, found in tropical and temperate climates. 



S. Italica Kunth, Hungarian or Bengal Grass, German, 

 Italian, Mammoth, Golden or Cat-tail Millet. A stout, quick- 

 growing grass, 2-3-g- ft. hi., with numerous broad, flat leaves and 

 a nodding panicle 4-9 in. long by f-1^ in. in diameter. Bristles 

 two or three in a cluster. 



'The term " Millet " is also applied to various other species of 

 plants, and is about as indefinite as the name "blue joint" or 

 "bunch grass" or "pigweed." 



The variety of millet which is principally grown as a hay crop 

 in America was distributed- through the United' States Patent 

 Office in 1854 under the name of Panicum Germanicum. There 

 are many races, which, like those of Indian corn, are mixed 

 up in hopeless confusion. It is much 'cultivated in the West and 

 Southwest. 



The millets are among the most ancient of cultivated grains, 

 as is evinced by the variability in the species as well as by ancient 

 mention, and their wide distribution. It is said that a third part 

 of the inhabitants of the globe feed upon the different millets, 

 especially, in Africa, Turkey, Persia, India, and Japan. It is 

 mentioned by Pliny as one of the cereals of his time. Setaria 

 Italica has an Asiatic origin and a high antiquity, as is evinced 



FIG. 79.- Setaria Italicn. (Hungarian Grass) ; a, portion of plant; ft, spikelet with 

 the pedicel of a second ; , another view; c, fertile floret showing palea; d, dorsal 

 view of saint:. (a Redrawn from Trinius, />, c. and d, Scribner). 



