About Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.
Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv. is a grass species with common names including hooked bristlegrass, rough bristle-grass, and bristly foxtail. It is native to Europe, but has been introduced to most continents, where it is often classified as a noxious weed. This hardy annual bunchgrass grows in many types of urban, cultivated, and disturbed habitats, and acts as a weed for many types of agricultural crops, including vineyards and open fields. Herbicide-resistant strains of this grass have been recorded. Its stems grow decumbent or erect, reaching up to one meter in length. Its leaf blades grow up to 25 centimeters long, and have a long sheath that wraps around the stem. Its inflorescence is a dense panicle that can reach 15 centimeters long, tapering at both ends. This panicle holds many small spikelets and bristles. The bristles have tiny backwards-pointing barbs that allow them to hook onto clothing or animal fur, which helps facilitate seed dispersal. The seeds of this grass are used to make beer in South Africa and porridge in Namibia, and have been used as a famine food in India.
