62 THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 



Very common everj- where in moist, rich lands. Flowers in 

 August and September. 



This grass is regarded as a mere weed in this State, but in the 

 South it is cultivated to some extent for fodder. Specimens from 

 Pennsylvania were analyzed in Washington, and gave ash 11.82, 

 fat 2 49, nitrogen-free extract 47.77, crude fiber 25.32, albumi- 

 noids 12. GO. 



Genus Setaria, Beauvois. 



Se-ta'-ri-a. 



From the Latin seta, a bristle, in allusion to the bristly spikes. 



Spikelets in a cylindrical spike-like, or sometimes interrupted 

 panicle. Below the spikelets there are several bristles, which remain 

 after the spikelets fall off. The spikelets contain two flowers (ap- 

 parently only one), the upper one perfect, the lower one male or 

 sterile ; glumes nearly equal in length, much shorter than the flowers. 

 Three species occur in Maine, and may be separated as follows : 



f Spike (or panicle) nodding from four to six inches long, 



1 j S. Italica. 



( Spike erect, from two to three inches long 2 



2 | Spike tawny yellow S. r/lauca. 



{ Spike green S. viridis. 



77. Setaria glauca. Beauvois. % 



Se-ta'-ri-a glau-ca. 

 PLATE XXXIX. 



Common Names. Foxtail, Bottle Grass, Pigeon Grass. 



Annual. Steins erect, from one to three feet high ; leaves hairy 

 at the base ; sheaths smooth ; ligule bearded. Spike cylindrical, 

 simple, tawny, from two to three inches long ; from six to ten bris- 

 tles arise from the base of each spikelet, two or three times as long 

 as the spikelets, which are rough upwards and of a tawny or dull 

 orange yellow color when old. Fields and cultivated grounds. 

 Flowers in August. 



This grass has been regarded as a worthless weed, but Dr. Warder 

 stated that he had a luxuriant growth of it in one of his corn fields ; 

 that he mowed it and made it into hay. To his great surprise, he 

 found that in the winter season his cattle ate it voraciouslv ; they 



