404 WEEDS A^s^D USEFUL PLANTS. 



of Millet — the whole multitudinous group are regarded as little better 

 than mere weeds ; — though none of them, so far as I know, are particu- 

 larly obnoxious or difficult to expel by judicious culture. Those here 

 described, are inserted merely as samples of a numerous and somewhat 

 variant family. 



29. SETA'RIA, Beauv. Bristly Fox-tail Grass. 



[Latin, Seta, a bristle ; from the invoU',crc-i;ko bristle of the spikelets.] 



Spikelets as in Panicum, awnless, but with the short peduncles produced 

 beyond them into solitary or clustered bristles resembling awns. Iriflo- 

 rescence a dense spiked panicle or apparently a cylindrical spike. Annuals : 

 introduced from Europe, and are all naturalized weeds, except the last, 

 which is occasionally cultivated. 



1. S. glau'ca, Beauv. Spike cylindric, tawny yellow ; bristles 6-10 

 in a cluster, much longer than the spikelets ; paleae of the perfect floret 

 transversely rugose. 



Glaucous Setaria. Fox-tail Grass. 



^ooi annual. Cwim 2- 3 feet high, sometimes branching, often several from the same 

 root, smooth. Leaves 6-12 or 15 mches long, somewhat glaucous, lance-lmear, keeled, 

 slightly scabrous, with a few long slender hairs at the base ; sheaths striate, smooth ; 

 liguU short, fringed or beard-like. Spike 2-4 inches long, rather slender and quite cylin- 

 drical ; rachis pubescent. Bristles scabrous upwards, becoming tawny or orange-yellow. 

 Staminatejloret sometimes wholly abortive or neutral. Perfect floret plano-convex, — the 

 palecB very firm and traversed by horizontal undulate wrinkles. 



Cultivated grounds ; stubble fields, &c. : introduced. Native of India and Continental 

 Europe. Fl. August. Fr. September. 



Obs. This usually makes its appearance, in abundance, among the 

 stubble after a wheat crop, — and is often seen in pastures, orchards, &c., 

 when not kept down by the promotion of a more valuable growth. 

 Cattle refuse the herbage, if better can be had ; and the plant is alto- 

 gether worthless, — except that poultry (especially turkeys) are fond of 

 stripping the spikes of their seeds, in the latter part of summer. 



2. S. vir'idis, Beauv. Spike green, sub-cylindrical or oval-oblong, more 

 or less compound ; bristles few in a cluster, much longer than the spike- 

 lets ; paleae of the perfect floret longitudinally striate, punctate. 

 Green Setaria. Green Fox-tail. Bottle Grass. 



Boot annual. Culm 1 - 2 or 3 feet high, branching near the base, rather slender. Leaves 

 3-6 or 8 inches long, lance-linear, flat, somewhat scabrous, minutely serrulate on the 

 margin ; sheaths striate, smooth, pilose on the margin ; ligule fringed or beard-like. Spike 

 1 - 3 inches long, somewhat compound or a little enlarged in the middle, often nearly 

 cyhudric ; rcicAis. hirsute with short hairs. Bristles scabrous upwards, green. Sterile 

 floret usually wholly abortive or neutral, — the upper palea very small. Palece of ihe per- 

 fect floret smooth, puncticulate, striate longitudinally, with a slight transverse rugosity 

 perceptable under a lens. 



Cultivated grounds, pastures, &c.: introduced. Native of Southern Europe. Fl. Jn\y 

 -August. Fr. August -September. 



Obs. This species is also naturalized to a considerable extent, and is 



