Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Rocky slopes on left of entry road, Cleveland Dam, Harare.

Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme Dam Rest Camp, Matobo National Park

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Synonyms:	Panicum pallide-fuscum Schumach. Panicum pumilum Poir. Setaria glauca subsp. pallide-fusca (Schumach.) B.K. Simon Setaria glauca var. pallide-fusca (Schumach.) Koyama Setaria pallide-fusca (Schumach.) Stapf & C.E. Hubb. Setaria ustilata de Wit
Common names:	Garden bristle-grass (English) Yellow bristle-grass (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Annual tufted grass, Culms 5–130 cm. high, ascending, the nodes glabrous. Inflorescence a spike-like panicle, up to 15 cm, spiciform, cylindrical, the rhachis tomentellous; bristles 3–12 mm. long, 6–8 per spikelet, commonly fulvous. Spikelets green with long orange or reddish-brown bristles. Spikelets 1.5–3.5 mm. long (seldom over 2.5 mm. in the Flora Zambesiaca area), ovate. Glumes 1/3–2/3 length of spikelet. Inferior floret male or sterile, its palea almost as long as lemma. Superior lemma rugose to corrugate, rarely almost smooth.
Type location:	Mediterranean
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	pumila: dwarf
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Dec - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; introduced in America.
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 362. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 51. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 33. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 100 - 101. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 511. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 59. As Setaria pallide-fusca Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 109. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 206. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 144.

Other sources of information about Setaria pumila:

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Flora of Botswana: Setaria pumila
Flora of Caprivi: Setaria pumila
Flora of Malawi: Setaria pumila
Flora of Mozambique: Setaria pumila
Flora of Zambia: Setaria pumila
Flora of Zimbabwe: Setaria pumila

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Setaria pumila
African Plant Database: Setaria pumila
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Setaria pumila
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Setaria pumila
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Setaria pumila
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Setaria pumila
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Setaria pumila
JSTOR Plant Science: Setaria pumila
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Setaria pumila
Plants of the World Online: Setaria pumila
Tropicos: Setaria pumila
Wikipedia: Setaria pumila