Setaria viridis (L.) P.Beauv.

Loosely tufted annuals, (4)–30–70 cm. Leaf-sheath light green or yellowish, submembranous, rounded, to slightly keeled above, glabrous, but margins ciliate. Ligule ciliate, hairs 0.7–1.5 mm. Collar hairs few, long. Leaf-blade 6–10.5–(13.5) cm × 3–5 mm, flat, long-tapering, very soft, minutely scabrid; margins minutely scabrid, tip filiform. Culm (10)–25–45–(60) cm, internodes ridged, scabrid above on ridges. Panicle 3–10 cm × 5–20 mm, very dense, cylindric, tapering above, with very light green or purplish bristles; rachis densely pilose, with short minutely pubescent-scabrid branches, bearing clusters of spikelets on very short discoid-tipped pedicels, each spikelet subtended by 1–3 antrorsely scabrid bristles (4.5–9.5 mm). Spikelets (2)–2.3–3.2 mm, light green, falling entire at maturity. Lower glume 1–3-nerved, c. 1.2–1.7 mm, upper 5-nerved, = spikelet, covering the upper ☿ floret. Lower floret: lemma = spikelet, 5–7-nerved; palea hyaline, nerveless, to ½ length of lemma. Upper floret: lemma = spikelet, elliptic-oblong, subacute or obtuse, pale creamy, convex, thinly crustaceous, very finely rugose; palea of same texture as lemma, nerves faint, interkeel flat; anthers 0.5–0.9 mm; caryopsis c. 1.5 mm.

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