Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.

Global description

Setaria verticillata is a grass with linear leaves, which grows in tufts. It measures 30 to 60 cm high but can reach 130 cm. The thatch is glabrous. The leaves are bluish green in color. Only the upper face is finely hairy. The inflorescence is a fake cylindrical terminal spike which grabs. The spikelets are solitary on short branches and are framed by a few long bristles with reflected tines that allow them to easy hang on.
 
First leaves

The first leaves have a rolled prefoliation. The sheath is highly compressed and perfectly glabrous. The ligule is membrano- ciliated . The lamina is oblique, lanceolate, glabrous, acute at the top.
 
General habit

Plant tufted, with high tillering and often branched axils. It is 30 to 130 cm high.
 
Underground system

Fibrous roots.
 
Culm

Compressed culm, glabrous and geniculate, with dark brown nodes, smooth to finely pubescent.
 
Leaf

Simple, alternate leaves, with highly compressed sheath, pubescent, with a rounded pronounced keel. The ligule is membrano-ciliated, 1.5 mm high. The lamina is linear to lanceolate, acute apex, erect, flat, with grooved shape midrib. It is 10 to 30 cm long and 6 to 18 mm wide. The margin is scabrous. The upper side is finely pubescent and the underside is glabrous, bluish green in color.
 
Inflorescence

Inflorescence in panicle contracted in false terminal spike, cylindrical, 2 to 15 cm long and 6 to 15 mm wide and green in color. The rachis is slender, angular and scabrous. The ramifications are very short, with 1-6 solitary staggered spikelets. The spikelets are pedicellate and bear at their base 1 to 3 bristles of 4 to 7 mm long, scabrous and with reflected tines.
 
Spikelet

The spikelet is ovoid shape, 1.8 to 2 mm long, with 2 flowers with the lower being male or sterile and upper fertile. The lower glume represents ¼ of the spikelet. The upper glume is almost as long as spikelet. The lower lemma is membranous, bicariniate, as long as spikelet. The upper lemma is hard and rough, its edges slightly cover the palea.
 
Grain

Ovoid grain, 1 to 1.5 mm long. It remains included in the lemma and palea of ​​upper flower.

Origin

Setaria verticillata is native to the Mediterranean basin, Africa, India, South East Asia and Australia.

Worldwide distribution

Species introduced in all tropical and temperate regions of America.
Algeria: Common species everywhere except in the central Sahara.

https://www.gbif.org/fr/species/5289686