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GRASSES OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Heather Stewart, Richard Hebda Major Groups of Grasses Table of Contents Glossary Setaria Bristlegrass There are approximately 100 species of Setaria worldwide, mostly in tropical locations. This weedy genus commonly occurs along drainage ditches and on irrigated land. Seta is bristle in Latin, in reference to the sterile bristles beneath the spikelet.   Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. Green Bristlegrass Plant: Setaria viridis is an introduced species that grows to 1 m tall. It is an annual with an occasionally bending culm base. The bristly spike flowerhead resembles a woolly caterpillar. Leaves and Stem: The smooth, open sheath has a slightly hairy collar. The half membrane ligules are 2 mm high and have a hairy upper edge. The flat leaves are smooth with slight hairiness at the throat. There are no auricles. Flowerhead and Flowers: The spikelike flowerhead is rarely longer than 10 cm. The two-flowered spikelets have two to four sterile bristles below the fertile flower. The fertile lemma and palea are enclosed by a second glume and a sterile lemma. Habitat: This species is probably common in the Columbia Basin region, but there is only one specimen in the Royal BC Museum collection that was collected in the Columbia Basin -- and that one is from Revelstoke along the railway bed.

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