Yellow bristle grass, Annual timothy
Setaria pumila

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A millet grass. It is an annual grass. It grows 20-90 cm tall. The leaf blades are linear and 5-40 cm long by 0.2-1 cm wide. The flowering head is like a "fox tail". The flowering head is cylinder shaped. The bristles are orange.

There are about 130 Setaria species. They are mainly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

It grows in tropical and warm temperate places. It is cultivated by hill tribes in southern India. In the Mediterranean is often grows in damp places like ditches. In Africa it grows from sea level to 1,500 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Burkina Faso, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, East Africa, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Indochina, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Haiti, Korea, Laos, Lesotho, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mediterranean, Mexico (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Spain, St Helena, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tibet, Uganda, USA, USSR, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young leaves are boiled and cooked as a vegetable. The seeds are used to make a meal. The seeds are used to make a local drink called Auong.

It is harvested as a wild cereal in times of scarcity.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal, seeds - drink

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bulo-faro, Bulude, Chigerequete, Difim-difim, Jin se guo wei cao, Kasinda kambwa, Khwemi-ani, Khwemi-apyu, Khwemi-pok, Korali, Kyaugmi, Nchaacha, Pale pigeon grass, Taya, Yon-sa

Synonyms

Panicum glauca auct. non (Linn.) P. Beauv.; Panicum pallidefuscum K. Schum.; Panicum pumilum Poir.; Panicum rubiginosum Steud.; Setaria pallide-fusca (K. Schum.) Stapf & Hubbard; Setaria rubiginosa (Steud.) Miq.; Setaria glauca var. dura (I. C. Chung) I. C. Chung; Setaria lutescens;