Ess. Agrost. 51 (1812); FWTA: 421 (1972); Gen. Gram.:290 (1986) nom. conserv.; Morrone, O et all. (2014), Syst. Bot. Monogr. 96: 121.- Type-species : Setaria viridis (Linn.) P. Beauv.
Synonyms
Paspalidium Stapf, FTA 9: 582 (1920); Gram. Afr. Trop. 1: 241 (1962); Gen. Gram.:291 (1986).
Description:
* Annuals or perennials. Culms slender to robust or canelike. Leaves linear to lanceolate, flat, plicate or folded, sometimes narrowed to a false petiole; ligule usually a ciliate membrane.
* Inflorescence a panicle, either open or spike-like with the spikelets clustered along the primary branches or contracted to densely spiciform. All spikelets or only the terminal subtended by one or more bristles which persist on the axis after the spikelets fall.
* Spikelets oblong to ovate, plano-convex, sometimes gibbous, awnless. Glumes unequal, the lower abaxial, generally much smaller, ovate from a clasping base; the upper half as long to equaling the spikelet. Lower floret male or barren, as long as the spikelet, herbaceous, its palea present, reduced or absent; upper floret bisexual, upper lemma crustaceous, strongly convex on the back, often rugose, clasping only the margins of the palea.
Heterogenic genus of the tropics and subtropics.
Note: The bristles represent reduced panicle branches and may occasionally bear vestigial spikelets.