Briza minor Linn., Sp. Pl. 1:70. 1753. Boiss., Fl. Or. 5:593. 1884; Sultan & Stewart, Grasses W. Pak. 2:171. 1959; Bor, Grasses Burma Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 528. 1960; Bor in Towns., Guest & Al-Rawi, Fl. Iraq 9:56. 1968; Bor in Rech.f.,Fl. Iran. 70: 15. 1970; Tzvelev, Poaceae URSS 522. 1976; Tutin in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 5:173. 1980.
Annual; culms 10-60 cm high, loosely tufted, erect or slightly geniculate, slender. Leaf-blades narrowly lanceolate, 3-14 cm long, 3-9 mm wide, flat, minutely rough above and on the margins; ligule 3-6 mm long. Panicle obovate, 4-20 cm long, loose, nodding, the numerous spikelets borne on capillary pedicels. Spikelets 4-8-flowered, orbicular to triangular-ovate, 3-5 mm long and as wide or wider, glabrous, shining, green or tinged with purple; lemma 2-3 mm long, very broad, deeply concave, hardened and shining in the centre but with broad white membranous margins.
Fl. & Fr. Per.: June-September.
Type: Switzerland (LINN).
Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab, introduced); Mediterranean region, naturalised in many warm temperate countries.
Lesser Quaking-grass, an introduced weed, occurs occasionally in wheat fields, but usually as an escape from cultivation where it is grown for its decorative panicles.
