| Setaria pumila | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Setaria |
| Species: | S. pumila |
| Binomial name | |
|
Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Setaria pumila is a species of grass known by many common names, including yellow foxtail,yellow bristle-grass,pigeon grass, and cattail grass. It is native to Europe, but it is known throughout the world as a common weed. It grows in lawns, sidewalks, roadsides, cultivated fields, and many other places. This annual grass grows 20 centimeters to well over a meter in height, its mostly hairless stems ranging from green to purple-tinged in color. The leaf blades are hairless on the upper surfaces, twisting, and up to 30 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a stiff, cylindrical bundle of spikelets 2 to 15 centimeters long with short, blunt bristles. The panicle may appear yellow or yellow-tinged.
In New Zealand S. pumila can cover 20-40% of otherwise productive dairy farming pasture causing a loss in milk production.