Elbow buffalo grass
Panicum subalbidum

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It has an irregular growth. It can grow 2 m high. The stems are rather thick. They are often bent down at the base. The leaves are broad and flat. The flowering shoots are much branched. They are narrow and erect. The spikelets are small and pointed. They are green.

There are about 500 Panicum species. It is a serious pest in rice paddies. It has a C4 pathway.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in hot arid regions. It can be in poorly drained soil. It grows between 3-3,400 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It is an occasional food.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Mudja

Synonyms

Panicum glabrescens Steud.; Panicum ingens Peter; Panicum longijubatum (Stapf) Stapf; Panicum longiramum Peter; Panicum proliferum Lam. var. longijubatum Stapf; Panicum kermesinum Mez;