Description: Introduced, warm-season, annual, erect or prostrate, tufted grass to 1 m tall. Leaves are flat, hairless (except for a few scattered hairs near the base) and usually have a pale midrib. There is no ligule. Flowerheads are an erect primary axis of racemes (to 22 cm long) with relatively short branches; with conspicuous hairs in the axils and along the racemes. Spikelets are 2.5-4 mm long and 2 flowered (fertile lemma smooth and shiny), with the apices ending abruptly in a short point or having an awn to 5 cm long. Flowers during the warmer months. Possibly a native of Asia, it is a common weed of disturbed areas, especially where there is excess moisture (e.g. wasteland, agricultural land, riverbanks, drains, shallow/drying swamps). An indicator of disturbed moist areas. A weed of summer crops. Produces palatable and good quality feed when grazed during early growth stages, but becomes harsh and unpalatable when mature. Toxic levels of nitrate can accumulate in the plant; this is especially dangerous when the plant is wilted and more attractive to stock. Rarely managed individually in pastures due to its low abundance in coastal pastures. Will decrease where dense ground cover is maintained over summer. Date: 11 January 2016, 07:43. Source:
Echinochloa crusgalli leaf5. Author:
Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia. Camera location
32° 36′ 51.51″ S, 151° 36′ 30.74″ E : View all coordinates using:
OpenStreetMap -
Google Earth:
-32.614309; 151.608538.
