Japanese barnyard millet, Japanese millet
Echinochloa esculenta

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

An annual millet grass. It grows 1-1.5 m tall. It forms tussocks. The leaf sheaths are smooth. The leaf blades are 20-50 cm long by 1.2-2.5 cm wide. The edges are thickened and wavy. It is flat and tapers to a point. The inflorescence is an erect panicle 6-20 cm long. The seed heads are purplish. This is probably the cultivated form of Sawa millet (Echinochloa colona).

There are about 35 Echinochloa species. They grow in tropical to warm temperate regions.

Where it is found

It is cultivated in warm temperate areas of the world. It is grown as a summer growing annual. It needs a highly fertile soil. It can withstand some water-logging but is not resistant to drought. It is less drought tolerant than sorghum. It can grow in arid places. Tasmanian Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, China, East Africa, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, North America, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tasmania, USA, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are boiled with rice or used in porridge or rice cakes.

A crop plant.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Sanwa millet, Zi sui bai

Synonyms

Echinochloa crus-galli f. arista (Honda) Hiroe; Echinochloa crus-galli var. aristata Honda [Illegitimate]; Echinochloa crus-galli subsp. utilis (Ohwi & Yabuno) T. Koyama; Echinochloa crus-galli var. utilis (Ohwi & Yabuno) Kit.; Echinochloa frumentacea var. atherachne Ohwi; Echinochloa frumentacea subsp. utilis (Ohwi & Yabuno) Tzvelev; Echinochloa utilis Ohwi & Yabuno; Panicum esculentum A.Braun;