Annual with weak, spreading culms mostly 30-100 mm long, these often decumbent at base and rooting at the lower nodes, the erect culm or branch tips seldom more than about 60 cm tall. Sheaths typically pubescent with papilla-based hairs. Ligules membranous, glabrous, irregularly dissected, mostly 1.0-2.5 mm long. Blades soft, flat, 5-10 mm broad, pubescent on one or both surfaces to nearly glabrous. Inflorescence usually with 4-9 erect or spreading , unbranched, racemose branches, these digitate at the culm apex or at the apex and in the 1-2 irregular verticils below. Spikelets in pairs of one sessile and one pediceled, usually 2.7-3.0 mm long but occasionally longer. First glume a minute, triangular scale or absent. Lower lemma of both sessile and pediceled spikelets with 5 unequally spaced nerves, the lateral crowded to the margins, the midnerve with a wide space on either side. Spikelets green or purple-tinged.

Emetic

PIER
Plants for a Future

In the treatment of gonorrhoea, for cataracts and debility (plant)