Barnyard grass - Barnyard grass

An annual plant of the Poaceae family. The base of the culm is reddish and branches, growing in a clump to a height of 0.8-1.2 meters. From August to October, it produces several racemes. The spikelet has two florets, is 3-4 mm long, and is covered with bristles. The first glume is small, less than half the size of the spikelet. The second and third glumes are slightly the same length as the spikelet. The fourth glume is leathery and shiny. It is a weed in paddy fields from Honshu to Okinawa, and is widely distributed in warm areas around the world. It is named after the fact that it is useless, similar to barnyard grass. The variety without awns and slightly smaller overall is called barnyard grass, while the variety that grows in paddy fields and has a first glume longer than half the size of the spikelet is called barnyard grass.

[Xu Jianchang]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

イネ科の一年草。稈(かん)の基部は赤みを帯びて分枝し、株立ちして高さ0.8～1.2メートル。8～10月、数個の総状花序をつくる。小穂は2小花をもち、長さ3～4ミリメートル、剛毛が生える。第1包穎(ほうえい)は小さく、小穂の2分の1に満たない。第2包穎と第3穎は、やや小穂と同じ長さ。第4穎は革質で光沢がある。本州から沖縄にかけての水田の雑草で、世界の温暖地に広く分布する。名は、ヒエに似て役にたたないことによる。芒(のぎ)がなく全体がやや小さいのをヒメイヌビエ、水田に生え第1包穎が小穂の2分の1より長い変種をタイヌビエという。

［許　建　昌］

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