Panicum miliaceum

Common millet or proso millet

Family Gramineae (or Poaceae)

Panicum miliaceum, common millet or proso millet (P. miliaceum 1), is an annual grass with an erect stem, up to 1 m tall, and linear to lanceolate leaf blades. The inflorescence is a slender panicle up to about 50 cm long, open or compact, sometimes nodding at the tip (P. miliaceum 2), (P. miliaceum 3). The glossy grains are ovoid and whitish, straw-coloured or reddish in colour (P. miliaceum 4).

Distribution
Common millet, not known in a wild state, is of ancient cultivation. It is the milium of the Romans and it is mentioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 4:9). It is cultivated in Europe since prehistoric times. It is considered to have been domesticated in central Asia. Nowadays it is grown mainly in the Middle East, Central and eastern Asia, the Far East and in India; and known as Russian and Indian millet in the different regions.

Use
The husked grain is eaten whole and may be boiled or cooked like rice. Ground into flour common millet is used for making porridge or bread. The grain is nutritious, containing carbohydrates, proteins and fat. In Russia it is used for making starch. In England it is used as birdseed. It is also an important food for livestock.