Panicum miliaceum
Barbara L. Wilson

Flora of Oregon

Plants annual, 20–210 cm tall, sometimes branching from the lower nodes.

Culms with hairy internodes and shorthairy nodes.

Leaves sheaths not inflated or compressed, with spreading papillose-based hairs; blades 15–40 cm × 7–25 mm.

Inflorescences dense, usually nodding, 6–20 × 4–11 cm, included in or shortly exserted from the uppermost sheaths at maturity; branches appressed to spreading, spikelets confined to the distal portions; pedicels 1–9 mm.

Spikelets ovoid, 4–6 mm, usually glabrous.

Glumes lower glumes 2.8–3.6 mm, 50–75% as long as the spikelets, 5–7-veined; upper glumes 4–5.1 mm, slightly exceeding the upper florets, 11–13(15)-veined.

Lower lemmas 4–4.8 mm, 9–13-veined, similar to the upper glumes.

Lower paleas 50% or less the length of the upper florets.

Fertile upper lemmas 3–3.8 × 2–2.5 mm, leathery or hard, smooth or striate, more or less shiny.

Anthers 1–2 mm.

2 subspecies.

Panicum miliaceum has larger spikelets than Oregon’s other Panicum species. It has been cultivated as a grain crop for thousands of years. In North America, it is mainly grown for birdseed.

Photo images

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Herbarium specimens

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