SETARIA ITALICA AND ITS IMMEDIATE ALLIES 
187 
Of the several lines of variation mentioned, seed-color seems to be 
the most stable; color of setae the next; form and size of panicle in 
the third degree, but very variable and intergrading; length of setae 
the fourth and extremely variable, but noticeable in the extremes; 
whereas size and shape of seed do not seem to offer any line of separa- 
tion. Along these lines the following variants of the species may be 
noted, remembering always that distinctions based on form and size 
of panicle are sure to show numerous intergrades and that length of 
setae is only applicable in the extreme form. 
Key to the variants of Setaria italica.^ 
a. Fruit yellowish to straw or light brown, h. 
b. Setae green, c. 
c. Panicle more or less open lobulate. d. 
d. Setae noticeably longer than spikelets. 
d. Setae shorter than or barely exceeding spike- 
lets. 
c. Panicle dense or slightly lobulate at base. e. 
e. Setae noticeably longer than spikelets. 
e. Setae shorter than or barely exceeding spike- 
lets. 
b. Setae purple. /. 
/. Panicle more or less open lobulate. 
/. Panicle dense or slightly lobulate at base. g. 
g. Setae noticeably longer than spikelets. 
g. Setae shorter than or barely exceeding spike- 
lets- 
b. Setae brown, h. 
h. Panicle more or less open lobulate. i. 
i. Setae noticeably longer than spikelets. 
i. Setae shorter than or barely exceeding spike- 
lets. 
h. Panicle dense or slightly lobulate at base. 
a. Fruit reddish or orange, j. 
j. Setae green, k. 
k. Panicle more or less open lobulate. /. 
/. Setae noticeably longer than spikelets. 
/. Setae shorter than or barely exceeding spikelets. 
k. Panicle dense or slightly lobulate at base. 
j. Setae purple, m. 
m. Panicle more or less open lobulate. 
m. Panicle dense or slightly lobulate at base. 
j. Setae brown, n. 
•'Attention is called to the fact that a, b and j each occur three times in the 
following key. 
subsp. str amine of ructa. 
forma breviseta. 
subvar. germanica. 
forma mitis. 
var. Hostii. 
subvar. Metzgeri. 
forma curtiseta. 
var. brunneoseta. 
forma brachychaeta. 
subvar. densior. 
subsp. rubrofruda. 
forma gigas. 
subvar. pabularis. 
var. purpureoseta. 
subvar. violacea. 
