Adrenaline grass, Black vetivergrass
Chrysopogon nigritanus

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It forms clumps and keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1.5-3 m high. The leaf blades are 90 cm long by 7 mm wide. The flower panicle is 15-40 cm long. It is sword shaped. There are 8-10 rings of flowers with up to 15 flowers on each.

There are 10 Vetiveria species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows mainly along river banks. In southern Africa it grows between 20-1,300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Gambia, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Senegal, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Rhizome, roots

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cudoendo, Gencha, Jema, Palha-brabo-quilanho, Saio

Synonyms

Andropogon nigritanus Benth.; Andropogon squarrosus var. nigritanus (Benth.) Hack.; Mandelorna insignis Steud.; Vetiveria nigritana (Benth.) Stapf;