Whorled Bristlegrass
Scientific name: Setaria verticillata (L.) Beauv.
Family: Poaceae
MORPHOLOGY
Habit and Size: Annual herbaceous plant, 30 to 80 cm tall.
Stem: Erect or ascending stem, glabrous and slightly rough, generally long and bare beneath the inflorescence.
Leaves: Linear-lanceolate leaves, 5-15 mm wide and 5-20 cm long, glabrous or slightly pubescent, with rough margins.
Flowers: The inflorescence is a cylindrical, compact spike, 5-12 cm long. It features long, hooked bristles (awns) that easily attach to clothing and animal fur. The spikelets are arranged in dense whorls along the inflorescence axis. Blooms from April to October.
Fruits and Seeds: The fruits are caryopses.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
A common weed throughout Italy, found in ruderal areas and cultivated fields, but adaptable to various environments at altitudes from 0 to over 800 m.
Photo: licensed free of charge from Saxifraga and Rutger Barendse, Peter Meininger



















