A reply: "Setaria italica is the cultivated Foxtail millet. It is much bulkier and the branches are longer. Also, it does not have retrorse barbs. S.verticillata has retrorse barbs, which Surajit has confirmed by running his fingers on them. Regarding leaf size, do not go by the keys as most of the descriptions are based on the type specimen and different herbarium collections. But there can be plenty of variation in nature depending on genetics, environment, climate, nutrition, rainfall, season, cattle grazing, soil, etc. Ideally, such descriptions should be based on study of large populations at several localities, but unfortunately these descriptions are just based on a few herbarium specimen. Also the leaf size of upper leaves are shorter than the lower leaves. Usually the middle leaves slightly below the centre are the largest. Along roadsides, which are constantly cleared of grasses and weeds, you can see very dwarf Setarias also which flower even at a few cm height, whereas in undisturbed localities, it grows taller. It can grow to giant size if it grows on fertilized agriculture fields or near a cow dung pit. Setaria palmifolia, S.paniculifera, S.poiretiana, S.plicata, S.barbata, S.megaphylla, S.homonyma are species not only having plicate leaves, but also has a branched, spreading inflorescence rather than a contracted panicle. S.italica, S.geniculata, S.intermedia, S.verticillata and S.gracillima, S.forbesiana, have contracted panicles, but leaves are not plicate. S.glauca, S.pumila, S.sphacelata and S.viridis also are not plicate leaved, but have very contracted panicles such that they look like a cylindrical spike. Out of these, S.italica is cultivated as a millet and S.sphacelata is cultivated as a fodder grass. Other Setarias mentioned in Flora of China are not reported from India. Regards... Manoj Chandran"
On 2 August 2012 09:09, jmgarg1 <[email protected]> wrote: > Forwarding again for Id confirmation or otherwise please. > > Some earlier relevant feedback: > > “Yes probably Setaria italica" from Singh ji. > > > > “It is *Setaria verticillata*, commonly found in waste places. You can > identify it from other species of Setaria from its retrose barbs on the > bristles. For this try running your fingers from bottom to top of the > inflorescence. If your fingers cannot run smooth, then the barbs are > retrose (backward curved). In all other species, you can run your fingers > smoothly without any hurdle. > Regards... > Manoj Chandran” > > > > “I am immensely grateful to you for all the ID and identifying key to > various grass species. I *will give the 'finger test' a try whenever i > find the grass again, maybe tomorrow morning. *Meanwhile attaching more > images of the same grass, recorded on 21/7/12. > Regards, > Surajit Koley” > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: surajit koley <[email protected]> > Date: 15 July 2012 01:08 > Subject: [efloraofindia:121944] grass ID from Hooghly 15-7-12 SK1 > To: efloraofindia <[email protected]> > > > Sir / Madam, > > Found this grass beside a railway track. > > Species : UNKNOWN > Habit & Habitat : about 4 feet high, beside a railline > Date : 4/7/12 > Place : Hooghly > > Thank you & Regards, > > Surajit Koley > > > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' > The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species*& > eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged > alphabetically & place-wise): > http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use > them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. > For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, > please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: > http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1900 members & > 1,20,700 messages on 30/6/12) or Efloraofindia website: > https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database > of more than 7000 species). > Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of > India'. > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species* & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1900 members & 1,23,300 messages on 31/7/12) or Efloraofindia website: https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database of more than 7000 species). Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'. --
