Wola Błędowa, near Bratoszewice

Native to tropical and east Asia; domesticated probably on Hokkaido Island in Japan and cultivated as 'Echinochloa esculenta'. One of the worst weeds, removing available soil nitrogen! Edible plant - the grain of some varieties is eaten by humans in times of scarcity and sometimes used for adulterating fennel; young shoots are eaten as a vegetable. Herbal plant - the roots are boiled to cure indigestion in the Philippines; the plant extract is used in diseases of the spleen; reported to be preventative and tonic, barnyard grass is a folk remedy in India for carbuncles, haemorrhages, sores, spleen trouble, cancer and wounds; the seeds effectively lowers blood sugar and cholesterol when consumed.