Sabi grass, Gonya grass, Bushveld signal grass
Urochloa mosambicensis
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
Urochloa mosambicensis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Apomictic (reproduce by seeds formed without sexual fusion). The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid, very alkaline and saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Savannah woodland and open grassland, often in disturbed or overgrazed locations such as fallow land and roadsides, especially where the soil is fertile, at elevations up to 1,600 metres.
Eastern and southern Africa - DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, S. Africa, Swaziland, Madagascar.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Ghana, Hawaii, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Seed - cooked. It is used as a cereal, usually being ground into a flour which is then often eaten as a porridge.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 2
Agroforestry Uses: It is an effective plant for erosion control, and for other applications where rapid establishment and good ground cover are advantageous. In Australia it plays a role in mine site rehabilitation. Urochloa mosambicensis does well in intercropping with leguminous pasture plants and is commonly grown together with Stylosanthes spp.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Balanced carb: (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Balanced carb: (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
How it is grown
In its natural habitat Urochloa mosambicensis occurs at elevations up to 1,600 metres in regions with a mean annual rainfall of 400 - 1,200mm, exceptionally to 1,600mm, and a dry season of 5 - 9 months. Plants have tolerated light frosts, but are checked by anything more than this. Prefers a sunny position, but tolerates light shade. It will grow in a wide range of soils, from clay loams to sands, but appears to be more suitable for lighter soils with relatively high fertility. It can tolerate both acid and alkaline soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. Tolerates lower fertility than most sown grasses with some salinity tolerance. In northern Australia the plant has escaped from cultivation and becomes dominant after fires.However, the plant is considered to be too palatable and insufficiently aggressive to become a serious weed. The seeds germinate early in the wet season and vegetative growth continues until soil water is exhausted. Flowering starts 3 - 4 weeks after the start of the rainy season and continues until growth ceases. Seed matures in 3 - 4 weeks. Plants are often short-lived, dying after 3 - 4 years. Urochloa mosambicensis is an obligate apomict. The plant follows the C4 photosynthetic pathway. To obtain the grain, the inflorescences are picked when still slightly green and spread out in the sun to dry. When dry, the grains are easily rubbed from the stalks. Annual grain yields of 100 - 300 kilos per hectare have been recorded from Australia.
Propagating it: Seed - Fresh seed has dormancy, which breaks down after 9–12 months storage. Dormancy can be broken by hammer-milling, destroying the hard lemma. In India Urochloa mosambicensis is also propagated vegetatively using rooted cuttings.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
In northern Australia the plant has escaped from cultivation and becomes dominant after fires.However, the plant is considered to be too palatable and insufficiently aggressive to become a serious weed.
Its other names
Local names
Bunga, Chequenchi, Gonya grass, Imbabu, Impunga, M'pande, Mwe-zok-myet, Namape, Shibanane, Tunga, Wayon-myet. African liverseed grass, bushveld herringbone grass, bushveld signal grass, common urochloa, Katherine liverseed, perennial urochloa grass, sabi, sabi grass, sabigrass, urochloa, urochloa grass
Synonyms
Brachiaria stolonifera Gooss. Echinochloa notabilis (Hook.f.) D.Rhind Panicum mosambicense Hack. Panicum notabile Hook.f. Urochloa pullulans Stapf Urochloa rhodesiensis Stent Urochloa stolonifera (Gooss.) Chippind.