Indian millet
Cenchrus americanus
Synonyms: Pennisetum glaucum, Pennisetum nigritarum var. macrostachyum, Phleum africanum, Pennisetum gibbosum, Penicillaria macrostachya, Setaria lutescens, Penicillaria indica, Cenchrus pycnostachyus, Ixophorus glaucus, Penicillaria deflexa, Chaetochloa lutescens, Penicillaria elongata, Cenchrus spicatus, Pennisetum albicauda, Pennisetum americanum f. echinurus, Pennisetum gambiense, Panicum lutescens, Pennisetum spicatum subsp. willdenowii, Setaria glauca, Pennisetum pycnostachyum, Pennisetum echinurus, Pennisetum solitarium, Pennisetum spicatum var. typhoideum, Pennisetum leonis, Alopecurus typhoides, Pennisetum cereale, Holcus spicatus, Panicum coeruleum, Andropogon racemosus, Pennisetum nigritarum var. deflexum, Pennisetum maiwa, Setaria sericea, Pennisetum typhoideum, Chaetochloa glauca, Panicum americanum, Pennisetum spicatum var. longipedunculatum, Penicillaria nigritarum, Penicillaria arabica, Panicum involucratum, Pennisetum ancylochaete, Penicillaria willdenowii, Cenchrus paniceus, Pennisetum americanum, Pennisetum cinereum, Pennisetum spicatum var. macrostachyum, Pennisetum nigritarum, Setaria rufa, Pennisetum americanum subsp. spicatum, Holcus racemosus, Setaria lutescens var. parviflora, Penicillaria mossambicensis, Pennisetum typhoideum var. plukenetii, Penicillaria plukenetii, Penicillaria roxburghii, Pennisetum typhoideum var. echinurus, Pennisetum megastachyum, Chamaeraphis glauca, Penicillaria typhoidea, Setariopsis glauca, Pennisetum malacochaete, Pennisetum americanum subsp. typhoideum, Pennisetum plukenetii, Setaria lutescens var. macrocarpa, Panicum sericeum, Penicillaria solitaria, Penicillaria spicata, Pennisetum spicatum, Penicillaria involucrata, Holcus paniciformis, Pennisetum spicatum var. echinurus, Panicum holcoides, Panicum glaucum, Panicum spicatum, Panicum indicum, Pennisetum aureum
Gallery
Botanical Description
Cenchrus americanus, pearl millet (also known as bajra or kambu), is a robust annual cereal grass in the family Poaceae ranging in height from about 0.5 to 4 m. It develops a stout, often tillered culm bearing long, narrow leaves and a characteristic dense, cylindrical, candle-like spike-like panicle 15–40 cm long that gives the crop its English name. Each spikelet ripens into an ovoid grain 3–4 mm long; the colour varies widely from nearly white through pale yellow, brown and grey to slate-blue or purple, with a 1,000-seed weight averaging about 8 g. Domesticated in the Sahel zone of West Africa, it has been cultivated across Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times and is now the most widely grown of the millets. It is exceptionally well adapted to drought, low soil fertility, high temperature, and saline or acidic ground where maize and wheat fail, and remains a staple food crop for hundreds of millions of people.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
None Documented
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.