Panicum decompositum
R. Br.
Australian millet, Native millet, Umbrella grass, Papa Grass
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Cereal
The seed can be cooked whole or ground into a flour. Considered a type of millet, the seed is rather small and fiddly to use, but has a mild flavour and can serve as a staple food in the manner of millet.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows on damp sandy soils. They need a well drained soils and sun. It grows in tropical and subtropical places. It can grow in arid places.
Asia, Australia, Pacific, Taiwan, Tonga,
How to Identify
A perennial millet grass plant. It grows up to 30-100 cm tall and spreads 30-80 cm wide. It forms stout tussocks. The stems are hollow and erect. The leaf blades are 15-30 cm long and 1-2 cm wide and flat. They are bluish-green with a white midrib. The seed head is 40 cm long. It spreads out about 40 cm wide. There are only a few spikelets. These are 0.3-0.4 cm long and green to purple. The seeds are dark brown and shiny.
Nutrition Score: 54/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | 9.2 | 1434 | 343 | 12.7 | — | 1 | — | — |
How to Grow
Historic Crop Management: Standard Staple Crop: Balanced carbWe have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Requires a moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun.
Propagation: Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Germination should take place within a week. Prick out seedlings into trays or individual pots and plant out after the last expected frosts. Propagate also by division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted directly into permanent positions. Smaller divisions are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established, then planted out in late spring or early summer.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Panicum decompositum, known by the common names native millet, native panic, Australian millet, papa grass, and umbrella grass, is a species of perennial grass native to the inland of Australia. It occurs in every mainland state. The seeds can be cultivated to produce flour typically used in Aboriginal bushfood. The species is also considered to have relatively high palatability by livestock, making it suitable for grazing pastures.
Production
The seeds are gathered in a bowl by rubbing the heads off the stalks. These are then windowed.
Notes
There are about 500 Panicum species.
Names & Synonyms
Guli, Kaltu-kaltu
References (29)
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