Aristida setacea

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows in clumps. The stalks are erect and 50-120 cm tall. The leaf blades are 20-40 cm long by 2 mm wide. The flowers are in a branched group 15-40 cm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India, Myanmar, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The seeds are collected, cleaned and cooked then eaten. Caution: They can cause stomach upsets in some people.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Thudaippam

Synonyms

Aristida quinqueseta Steud.; Chaetaria setacea (Retz.) P. Beauv.;