78 CLxxiii. GEAMiNEiB. (J. D. Hooker.) [Setarid. 



i III; II = or shorter than IV; III neuter, rarely paleate and male, 

 S-7-nerTed ; IV coriaceous, plano-convex, bisexual, triandrous. Styles 

 distinct. Grain free within the hardened gl. and palea. — Species about 

 10, temperate and tropical. 



Distinguished from Panicum by the involucel, but connected with it by P. 

 plicatum and S. Forbesiana ; and from Pennisetum by the persistent involuoels and 

 articulate deciduous spikelets. The species are for the most part diflScult of limitation, 

 and much of the synonymy requires revision, 



1. S. Itallca, Beauv. Agrost. 51 ; leaves broad, panicle dense inclined 

 or nodding simple and oylindrio or lobed or compound, bristles few smooth 

 or with minute spreading barbs, gl. 1 oblong or subglobose nearly smooth. 

 Kunth Mevis. Oram,. 146, Enum. PI. i. 15.3, Suppl. 108; Reichb. Ic. 

 JFl. Germ. t. 47; T. Nees Gen. Fl. Germ. Monocot. i. n. 22; Wall. Cat. n. 

 8643; Trim. Oat. Gevl. PI. 107; Aitchis. Oat. Punjab. PL 162; Duthie 

 Grass. N. W. Ind. 8, Field & Gard. Crops, 5, t. 25, Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 15 ; 

 Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii. 467 ; Oriseb. Fl. Brit. W. Ind. 554. S. asiatica, 

 Sort, ex Reichb. Fl. Germ. Exours. 29. S. compacta, Schur. Fnvmi. PI. 

 Transylv. 967, Index. S. erythrosperma, flavida, persica & violacea, 

 Hornen. ex Beichb. I. c. S. sermanica, Beauv. Agrost. 61, 1. 13. S. globularis, 

 Presl. Bel. Haenk. 407 ; Miq. I. c. S. macrochaeta, 8oh. Mont. ii. 274. S. 

 maritima, B. & S. Syst. ii. 492. S. melinis, lAnk. ex Sieud. Nom. Ed. II. 

 ii. 574. S. panis, Jessen Deutsohl. Qraes. 248. Panicnm segyptiacum & 

 sibiricum, Hort. ex Poem. Sf Sch. Syst. ii. 493. P. asiaticum, mel-frugum, 

 & serotinum, Sort, ex Schult. Mant. ii. 598, 599. P. attenuatum, setaceum 

 & setosum, Hort. ex Trin. Gram. Panic. 166. P. brevisetum, Boell Fl. 

 Grossh. Bad. 233. P. compaotum. Fit. in Schult. (Ester. Fl. Ed. II. i. 212. 

 P. elongatam, Salisb. Prodr. 18. P. germanicum & indicum. Mill. Gard. 

 Diet. Ed. 8, n. 1 & 3. P. slobulare, Steud. Nom. I.e. 51 ; Syn. Gram. I.e. 

 P. glomeratum, Moench. Meth. 207. P. intermedium & erythrospermnm, 

 Vahl ex Sornem. Sort. Safn. i. 82. P. italicum, Linn. Sp. PI. 56, Sost 

 I.e. t. 314; Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 188, 189; Boxb. Fl Ind. i. 302; Steud. 

 Syn. Gram. 51 ; Bah. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. Suppl. 98 ; Wight Gat. n. 1645. 

 P. miliaoeum, Blanco Fl. Filip. Ed. I. 39. P. maritimum, Sort, ex Lamh. 

 Eneycl. iv. 737. P. pumilum, Linlc Emm,. Sort. Berol. 76. P. vulgare, 

 Wallr. in Linnsea, xiv. (1840) 542. Pennisetum macrochaetum, Jacq. 

 Fclog. Gram. iii. 36, t. 25 ; Euntk Enum. i. 152.— Setaria, Wall. Oat. n. 

 8661.— iJAeerfe Sort. Mai. xii. t. 79. 



Hab. Cult, throughout India, and up to 6000 ft. in the Himalaya.— DiSTElB. 

 Most warm, temperate and tropical countries. 



Stem 2-5 ft., usually branched, tufted, rooting towards the base, often robust. 



Annual, leaves often long broad, margins retrorsely hispid, sheath smooth, 

 mouth bearded. Spiciform panicle 3-5 in. long, very variable in diameter, number 

 and length of bristles of involucel, and size and form of gl. IV.— Possibly a cultivated 

 form of 8. viridis, but nothing is known of its origin, which reaches back to the 

 period of the Swiss Lake-dwellings. It has from time immemorial been cultivated 

 in Asia, and one form is regarded by the natives as indigenous in Japan and 

 China (see Du Candolle I'Origine des Plantes Cultiv^es, p. 303). Duthie and 

 Stewart regard some small forms as indigenous in India, but they are more probably 

 escapes or their progeny. 



2. S. erlauca, Beauv. Agrost. 51; panicle spiciform cylindrio, in- 

 voluoels of 6-12 bristles with spreading or erect barbs, gl. IV transversely 

 rugose. Funth Enum. Pi. i. 149, Suppl. 106 ; Wall. Cat. n. 8639 ■ Griff. 

 Noiul. 44, Ic. PI. Asiat. t. 149, f. 1 ; Dah. Sf Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 293 ; AitcMs. 



