Bristle grass
Pennisetum divisum

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It keeps growing from year to year. It forms thick clumps. It has short woody rhizomes or underground stems. It grows 1 m high. The plant has a woody base. The stems have angular joints at the nodes. The leaves are rolled. The leaf blades are 7.5 cm long by 1-1.5 mm wide. The flowers are in a spike like head.

There are about 100 Pennisetum species.

Where it is found

A desert plant. It grows on gravelly and stony soils in Bahrain. It is a desert plant. It grows in dry Saharan areas in West Africa. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arabia, Asia, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Niger, North Africa, Pakistan, Sahel, West Africa

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Athmoom, Hada, Mekhamla, Morrat Ghazal, Oum khamela, Thaimoom

Synonyms

Gymnothrix longiglumis Munro ex Hook. f.; Panicum dichotomum Forssk.; Panicum divisum Gmel.; Pennisetum dichotomum (Forssk.) Delile; Pennisetum elatum Hochst. ex Steud;