Feather top finger grass
Chloris virgata

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass plant. It forms tussocks. It can be an annual plant of keep growing from year to year with rhizomes or underground stems. It grows up to about 1 m high. The leaf blades are 12 cm long and 7 mm wide. It is blue-green.

It has a C4 pathway.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in hot arid places. It grows in areas where the annual rainfall is below 600 mm. It can grow in salty and poorly drained soils. It grows between 3-3,500 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canary Islands, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Guatemala, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Kenya, Korea, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tibet, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chinki, Namanre, Nanube, Rabatule, Xarfo

Synonyms

Chloris alba J. & C. Presl; Chloris elegans Kunth; Chloris meccana Hochst. ex Steud. ex Schldl.;