北半球の温帯地域に広く分布しています。日当たりのよい道端や田んぼのあぜなどにふつうに生え、高さは20〜70センチになります。8月から10月ごろ、円柱形で直立した長さ3〜10センチほどの花穂をつけます。和名は、小穂に黄金色の芒(のぎ)が生える「えのころぐさ(狗尾草)」ということから。台湾華語では「御谷」、中国語では「金色狗尾草(jin se gou wei cao)」と呼ばれます。C4植物(C4型光合成を行う植物)です。
The Yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca) belongs to Poaceae (the Grass family). It is an annual herb that is widely distributed in the temperate region of Northern Hemisphere. This grass grows in sunny roadsides or rice field linches, and can reach 20-70 cm in height. The spikes are straight, columnar, 3-10 cm long, and borne from August to October. The Japanese name is derived from the "Green bristle grass", which has a golden awn on its spikelets. It is called "御谷" in Taiwanese Chinese and "金色狗尾草" (jin se gou wei cao) in Chinese. It is a C4 plant (Plants with C4-type photosynthesis).