Foxtail Millet (Panicum italicum)

This painting depicts the Foxtail millet plant (known by the Linnean name Panicum italicum) at various stages of its growth. At bottom left are two studies of seeds and seedpods in green (its appearance during the maturation process) and brown (ripened). To the right of these studies is a large mature brown stem of the plant, which reveals the origin of the name "Foxtail" for this type of millet, or grass species. The largest part of the painting are the healthy green stems and leaves, as well as a representation of its roots.

Foxtail millet, known as kangni in Hindi and kaon dana in Bengali, is a commonly grown cereal crop in Asia and has been a staple in India for centuries. It is a hearty plant which requires little water, suffers from few diseases and can grow in many types of soil, and thus has long been a reliable food source for both humans and animals.

This natural history painting was produced in India and was commissioned by an officer of the British East India Company to capture the botany of the subcontinent. Such a work would have served as a souvenir of the flora and fauna of India for the patron, who would have enjoyed it as part of a series of similar illustrations.