Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.

Narrowly tufted annuals, bright green, usually with few branches at base, usually 20–40–(100) cm. Leaf-sheath light green or purplish, submembranous, rounded, to slightly keeled above, smooth apart from minutely scabrid ribs below collar; margins ciliate, hairs tubercle-based. Ligule ciliate, hairs 0.6–1.5 mm. Leaf-blade 3–15 cm × 2–12 mm, flat, soft, linear-lanceolate, tapered to fine tip, adaxially often with scattered long hairs, ribs and margins minutely scabrid. Culm 15–30–(100) cm, internodes ridged, scabrid above on ridges. Panicle 3.5–8.5–(11) cm × 5–15 mm, often drooping, ± cylindric, with light green to purplish, rather loosely, often irregularly clustered spikelets; rachis hispidulous-scabrid on ridges with very short, minutely scabrid branches bearing shortly pedicelled spikelets, each spikelet subtended by 1–2–(3) retrorsely scabrid bristles (2.5–5.5 mm). Spikelets 2–2.4 mm, falling entire at maturity. Lower glume 1–3-nerved, c. 1 mm, upper 5–7-nerved, ≈ spikelet, almost covering upper floret at maturity. Lower floret: lemma 5–7-nerved; palea hyaline, nerveless, to ½ length of lemma. Upper floret: lemma = spikelet, elliptic-oblong, subacute, pale cream, convex, thinly crustaceous, finely rugose; palea of same texture as lemma, keels not thickened, interkeel flat; anthers 0.6–0.9 mm; caryopsis c. 1.5 mm.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]