Barnyardgrass

[Echinochloa crus-galli (l.) Beauv.]

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲▼ young plant, showing flattened, often reddish basal leaf sheaths

inflorescences with short awns▲, and long awns▼

Barnyardgrass:  (pp. 420-421, Weeds of the Great Plains, pp. 48-49 in Weeds of the Northeast)

·         warm-season, annual grass

·         flattened, sometimes reddish stem bases; grows 1-4’ tall

·         panicle is slightly branched, with thick flower spikelets, sometimes with long awns

·         seedheads hang from one side of panicle branch; inflorescence appears semi- “bur-like”

·         inflorescence often reddish brown, but may be golden to all green to almost black

·         prefers moist, fertile soils

·         major weed problem in rice fields, seed is similar to rice in shape

·         occurs as weeds in wetter soils of other major agronomic crops as well

·         junglerice:

o       similar to barnyardgrass

o       has smaller, purplish, short-awned inflorescences, usually with fewer branches than barnyardgrass

o        more stems, more spreading growth habit than barnyardgrass

o        has purplish markings on leaves

o        common in southern U.S. crops