Eragrostis cumingii Steud.

Annuals, variable in habit. Culms erect or ascending or sprawling, (3–) 14–70 (–100) cm high. Leaves sometimes pilose to hirsute; ligule ±0.3 mm long; blade flat or convolute, straight, less than 4 mm wide, with filiform apex. Inflorescences terminal and (in arid regions) axillary. Terminal panicles open or spiciform, 4.5–73 cm long, 1.5–11.5 cm wide; branches short and stiff, sometimes horizontal or reflexed, rarely divided, naked in lower part. Spikelets usually congested, in tight clusters, sessile or pedicellate, oblong or ovate to linear, 4.5–35 mm long, 1.5–3.8 mm wide, sometimes cleistogamous; rachilla straight, thick, finally elongating; florets 10–20 (–88), closely imbricate. Glumes unequal, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, membranous to cartilaginous; lower glume 1.1–2.5 mm long; upper glume 1.6–3 mm long. Lemma ovate or elliptic to ±orbicular, 1.5–2.6 (–3) mm long, obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, membranous to cartilaginous, gibbous on the back, 3-nerved with laterals often green. Palea c. 1/2–2/3 as long as its lemma; body obovate or spathulate; keels scabrous except near base with thickened hairs 0.1–0.4 mm long. Stamens (2–) 3; anthers 0.1–0.3 mm long. Grain strongly laterally compressed, ovoid, 0.3–0.8 mm long, sometimes striate or silvery.

Widespread in seasonally wet,sometimes saline, sites; grows in a wide variety of deep and shallow soils, andsometimes on coastal sand dunes and shell ridges.