There are 4 members of the Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa) family that grow in our area.

The one that I have photographed is Echinochloa muricata and it can be distinguished from the others because it grows even in shallow water.

It also has very long spikelets.

Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa muricata) grows sometimes in heavily disturbed places such as in puddles on this dirt road near railway tracks in the Don valley.

More generally it is found in moister sites than the other Echinochloas and can be found in wet shores, ditches, river banks and floodplains.

It is considered to be a North american native though members of the Echinochloa family can be found in many parts of the world.

The plant varies in colour as it matures.

The stem is often red-purple at the base.

I start seeing Barnyard Grass in early August and it can continue well into October.

Mature, large leaves have a white stripe in the middle.

Here is a look at the leaf sheath.

Echinochloa comes from the Greek for “hedgehog grass” for the bristly spikelets.

Muricata refers to a surface roughened by means of hard points or sharp projections.

Miles Hearn