Panicum decompositum

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Panicum decompositum
Panicum decompositum habit.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus: Panicum
Species:
P. decompositum
Binomial name
Panicum decompositum

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. [1] The seeds can be cultivated to produce flour typically used in Aboriginal bushfood. [2] The species is also considered to have relatively high palatability by livestock, making it suitable for grazing pastures. [1]

Contents

Description

Open panicle structure of Panicum decompositum seed-heads. Panicum decompositum Turners Flat flowerhead2 (8685594574).jpg
Open panicle structure of Panicum decompositum seed-heads.

Native millet is specifically a C4 tussock forming perennial with glabrous blue-green blade-like leaves with a pale line running down the middle on the front of the leaves and a protruding spine, known as the keel, at the back of the leaves. The grass can grow up to 145 cm tall with seed heads that can grow up to approximately 40 cm in length.

Native millet is hermaphroditic, which means it contains both the male and female reproductive organs in the same flower. The seed head has an open panicle structure which consists of multiple small branches loosely clustered together. At the end of each small branch is a spikelet that would flower and mature into seeds. [1] The species flowers in summer and autumn (approximately from December to May in Australia) and the main method of pollination is via wind. [3]

Native millet, along with other grasses, grow fibrous roots which retains the surrounding soil and prevent erosion. [4] The fibrous roots also increase the overall biomass in the soil which provides an environment for microorganisms and promote the filtration of chemical compounds in water runoff such as fertilisers or pesticides. [4]

Seed dispersal

The main mode of seed dispersal for native panic is wind. As the seeds mature and dry out, the spikelets can easily break off with adequate wind and get blown away. [4] The dried spikelets, and dried, dead stalks can easily form clusters and become a fire hazard. [1] This issue is usually managed with backburning, a practice often used to reduce the fuel available to bushfires during the drier seasons. [5]

Ecology

Dried seed-heads of native millet collect around fences which can become a fire-hazard. Panicum decompositum flowerheads blown against fence2 (8242306777).jpg
Dried seed-heads of native millet collect around fences which can become a fire-hazard.
Native millet typically grows in sandy and clay laden soil. Panicum decompositum habitus.jpg
Native millet typically grows in sandy and clay laden soil.

Native millet can tolerate a wide variety of soils but prefers wetter soils with high clay and sand content, also known as alluvial soil. Native millet is widely spread, growing evenly on pastures rather than forming dominant stands or single bushes. The species is resistant to both drought and flooding conditions. [1] Native millet has been shown to be able to withstand prolonged periods of flooding with minimal effects on normal plant characteristics with the exception of slowed seedling growth. [6] The species is sensitive to frost and often hays-off or stops producing seeds prematurely during the winter months. Native millet can quickly repopulate during spring. [1]

Uses

Bushfood

Native millet is a staple food of outback Aboriginal people, who hand-harvest the seed to make bush bread. The seeds, harvested in large quantities, by stacking and burning and then collecting the fallen seeds, possibly on a drop blanket made out of animal skin. [7] The seeds can be collected dry, combined with other native seeds such as wattle seeds and spinifex ( Triodia ) grass seeds to produce flour. The seed heads usually contain adequate moisture to produce a dough when grounded dry, otherwise, a small amount of water can be added to form a thick and sticky paste. The dough can be consumed raw or formed into a loaf or a bun and cooked on hot coal to produce damper bread, also known as bush bread, seed cake, or soda bread. Bush bread is often carried on group travels as a source of energy. [2] Native millet, as well as other native grasses such as kangaroo grass, are being incorporated into modern baking in some small Australian bakeries as a wheat or rye flour alternative. [8]

Agriculture

Farmers also highly prize the grass as pasture for stock. Native millet has moderate to high grazing value with 2.2–10.6% crude protein and considered relatively palatable by livestock. Due to its resistance to flooding, the grass is can produce high volumes of feed in floodplains after heavy rains or floods during the summer months. [1] Native millet can withstand high livestock volumes but is best managed with rotational grazing with at most 40% pasture utilisation, that is, the percentage of pasture consumed at any one time. [1] Overgrowth of feed can lead to decay at the base of the pastures which can decrease palatability. [9] The growth of native millet on sandy soils usually indicates a light grazing pressure or a lower volume of livestock. However, the growth of native millet on clay-laden soil can indicate heavy grazing as a result of overstocking. [1] The germination rate of native millet has been found to increase from the exposure to plant-derived smoke. This indicates possible benefits from backburning or sowing smoke-treated native millet seeds for setting up pastures either for livestock or seed cultivation. [10]

Toxicity

Some species of the genus Panicum such as Panicum dichotomiflorum are known to cause hepatogenous photosensitisation [11] in ruminant livestock such as sheep. [12] [13] This occurs when the build up of phylloerythrin, a photosentising agent, in the gut reaches the skin and cause a phototoxic reaction which can lead to burning, blisters, or lesions of the skin. [13] P. decompositum has been suspected to be poisonous in association with similar photosensitisation causing species, however, no specific cases were confirmed. [14] [15] [12]

Distribution

There are two variations of native millet. P. decompositum var. decompositum is native and only occurs in the state of Victoria, while P. decompositum var. tenuis occurs in all other mainland states, in particular, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales. Very few sightings have been reported for the state of South Australia and neither variations are found in Tasmania. [16]

Native millet is amongst the intermediate species of alluvial Mitchell grassland of the Kimberly region of Western Australia. Mitchell grasslands are known for their black soil due to the high clay and silt content. [17]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Echinochloa crus-galli</i> Species of plant

Echinochloa crus-galli is a type of wild grass originating from tropical Asia that was formerly classified as a type of panicum grass. It is commonly known as cockspur, barnyard millet, Japanese millet, water grass, common barnyard grass, or simply "barnyard grass". This plant can grow to 60" in height and has long, flat leaves which are often purplish at the base. Most stems are upright, but some will spread out over the ground. Stems are flattened at the base. The seed heads are a distinctive feature, often purplish, with large millet-like seeds in crowded spikelets.

<i>Themeda triandra</i> Species of plant

Themeda triandra is a species of C4 perennial tussock-forming grass widespread in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass and in East Africa and South Africa it is known as red grass and red oat grass or as rooigras in Afrikaans. Kangaroo grass was formerly thought to be one of two species, and was named Themeda australis.

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<i>Panicum effusum</i> Species of plant

Panicum effusum, commonly known as hairy panic, is a grass native to inland Australia. It occurs in every mainland state, as well as New Guinea. In dry conditions, the fast-growing grass can become a tumbleweed.

<i>Panicum repens</i> Species of plant

Panicum repens is a species of grass known by many common names, including torpedo grass, creeping panic, panic rampant, couch panicum, wainaku grass, quack grass, dog-tooth grass, and bullet grass. Its exact native range is obscure. Sources suggest that the grass is native to "Africa and/or Asia", "Europe or Australia", "Eurasia", "Australia", "Europe, Asia, and Africa", or other specific regions, including the Mediterranean, Israel, and Argentina. It is present in many places as an introduced species and often a noxious weed. It has been called "one of the world's worst weeds."

<i>Panicum coloratum</i> Species of grass

Panicum coloratum is a species of grass known by the common names kleingrass, blue panicgrass (USA), white buffalograss ; Bambatsi panic, makarikari grass, and coolah grass (Australia). It is native to Africa, and it has been introduced elsewhere, such as the United States and Australia, and bred into many cultivars.

<i>Bothriochloa pertusa</i> Species of plant

Bothriochloa pertusa is a species of grass. It is widely used as a fodder and a graze for livestock.

<i>Urochloa brizantha</i> Species of plant

Urochloa brizantha is a species of grass known by the common name palisade grass. It is often used as a forage for livestock.

<i>Dichanthium annulatum</i> Species of plant

Dichanthium annulatum is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is commonly used as a forage for livestock.

<i>Digitaria didactyla</i> Species of flowering plant

Digitaria didactyla is a species of grass known by the common names blue couch, Queensland blue couch, blue serangoon grass, green serangoon grass, blue stargrass, and petit gazon. It is native to Mauritius, Réunion, parts of mainland Africa, and Madagascar. It has been introduced widely outside its native range, mainly for use as a pasture and turf grass. It has naturalized in some regions.

<i>Alysicarpus vaginalis</i> Species of flowering plant in the legume family

Alysicarpus vaginalis is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to parts of Africa and Asia, and it has been introduced to other continents, such as Australia and the Americas. It is cultivated as a fodder for livestock, for erosion control, and as a green manure. Common names include alyce clover, buffalo clover, buffalo-bur, one-leaf clover, and white moneywort.

<i>Hyparrhenia rufa</i> Species of plant

Hyparrhenia rufa is a species of grass known by the common names jaraguá, jaraguá grass, and giant thatching grass. It is native to Africa and it is widespread in the world as a cultivated forage and fodder for livestock and a naturalized and sometimes invasive species.

<i>Eragrostis setifolia</i> Species of plant

Eragrostis setifolia, commonly known as neverfail grass, is a species of perennial grass in the family Poaceae native to Australia, where it is widespread and common throughout the range lands and is commonly utilized as a pasture grass. According to IUCN classification it is listed as a least concern species throughout most of its range with the exception of Victoria where it is classified as vulnerable. It is capable of C4 photosynthesis.

References

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  2. 1 2 Wroth, David; Gallery, Japingka; Aug 2020, Updated. "Damper Seed - Aboriginal Art Stories - Japingka Gallery". Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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  4. 1 2 3 "Saving soil - A landholder's guide to preventing and repairing soil erosion". www.dpi.nsw.gov.au. 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Fire Management". Bush Heritage Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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