Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke

A tall, erect annual with slender or stout stems, 0.3-3 m high, simple or branched, sometimes with conspicuous prop roots from the lowest nodes; internodes solid, grooved; sheaths rounded, usually glabrous, margin ciliate, collar pubescent or glabrous; ligule 2.5-7 mm long, the membrane 0.2-1.2 mm long, the cilia 1.5-6 mm long. Leaf blades lanceolate, 30-150 cm long and 0.5-7 cm wide, linear to linear-lanceolate from a rounded base, flat, more or less rough, glabrous, apex acute. Inflorescence spike-like, generally 2-20 cm long and 0.5-6 cm broad, compact, cylindrical, greenish-yellow with a pinkish tinge turning pale brown or purplish when mature, closely packed with spikelets and bristles; branchlets reduced to clusters of 1-8 spikelets. Grains oblong, obovoid or pyriform, variable in colour from white or pale grey to yellow or light blue in colour.