Panicum miliaceum L.

Tufts leafy, annual, stout, ± erect, or decumbent at base and rooting at lower nodes, to 80 cm. Leaf-sheath light green or straw-coloured, submembranous, rounded, with numerous, long, fine, conspicuously tubercle-based hairs. Ligule 2–4 mm, membranous, truncate, ciliate. Leaf-blade 10–45 cm × 6–20 mm, thin, ± curved at base, almost glabrous to loosely hairy with long fine tubercle-based hairs, midrib prominent; margins very finely scabrid, often somewhat undulating, narrowed to filiform, scabrid tip. Culm 10–40 cm, nodes usually closely pubescent, internodes glabrous or sometimes softly hairy below lower nodes. Panicle (10)–20–45 cm, contracted and rather dense, or open, nodding, often not fully emergent from upper sheath; rachis and primary branches smooth, branchlets and filiform pedicels finely scabrid on angles. Spikelets 4–5 mm, numerous, glabrous, green to greenish brown, ovate-lanceolate, turgid, apiculate-acuminate. Glumes prominently nerved; lower 3–3.4 mm, ½ to ¾ length of spikelet, ovate, acute, 5-nerved, upper = spikelet, 11-nerved, ovate-lanceolate, tip finely scabrid, mucronate. Lower floret Ø: lemma ≈ spikelet, (11)–13-nerved; palea « lemma, ovate, truncate or emarginate, hyaline, with 2 faint, winged keels. Upper floret ☿, falling readily at maturity: lemma 2.8–3.4 mm, elliptic, subacute to obtuse, crustaceous, obscurely nerved, very turgid and convex, variously coloured white, yellow, red, brown or black, glabrous, shining; palea narrower; anthers 1.6–2.2 mm; caryopsis 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]