Scientific name: Echinochloa colona L. (Link)

Synonym: Panicum colonum L.

Common name:Awnless barnyard grass

Family: Poaceae

Origin:

Native of Africa and tropical Asia.

Habit:

Annual clump-forming grass with prostrate ascending or erect habit, height is 20-60 cm, a summer-growing grass.

Habitat:

This species was introduced as a pasture plant. A widespread weed usually on heavy soils or where flooding occurs periodically. Known to infest drains, ditches and creeks. It is commonly found as a weed in pasture seed samples.

General description:

Stems and leaves

Plants are tufted and somewhat prostrate. Stems are prostrate, ascending, or erect and tend to branch. Leaf sheaths can be hairy at the nodes or hairless. Ligules (appendages at the base of the leaf blade) are more or less absent. The blades of the leaves are linear, tapering to the tip, 5-30 x 0.3-1 cm. Leaves are hairless.

Flowers and fruit

Inflorescences are erect and branched 4-15 cm long with branches up to 2.5 cm long. Spikelets are arranged in 4 irregular rows. Seeds are pale, ovoid with longitudinal ribs, hairy, with a sharp point at the tip.

Distinguishing characteristics:

An annual clumping summer-growing grass, Echinochloa colona (awnless barnyard grass) tends to have more of an erect habit when compared with Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass) which is more or less prostrate. Spikelets are arranged in 4 rows on the racemes. The lowest floret of the spikelet has an awn up to 5 cm long. Seeds are pale brownish, ovoid with longitudinal ribs, hairy with a long or short awn.

Noxious status:

Not noxious.

Sources:

Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. 3rd Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Stanley, T.E. and Ross, E.M. (1983-1989). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Volume 3. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Friend, E. (1983). Queensland Weed Seeds. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.