A survey of anthropological, archaeological, botanical, and historical literature reveals that two species of fox-tail millet were domesticated in the Old World (S. italica, S. pumila), and one may have been domesticated in the New World (S. parviflora). Others were prehistorically and historically gathered and eaten as cereal starch sources, including S. liebmannii, S. macrostachya, S. pallide-fusca, S. palmifolia, S. parviflora, S. pumila, S. sphacelata, S. verticillata, S. viridis, and perhaps others. The American species are briefly discussed and compared with the Old World plants, and a synopsis of food changes is presented.