Floating rice, African rice
Oryza glaberrima

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

An annual grass. Most varieties have a reddish colour. It grows 1.5 m but can be 5 m in some floating kinds. Dryland types often form tufts and floating rice often branches. The leaves are alternate and simple. The leaf sheath is 25 cm long. The leaf blade is 20-25 cm long and 6-9 mm wide. The flowers are in a compact group 25 cm long at the top of the plant. The fruit is a grain 9 mm long by 3 mm wide.

There are about 20 Oryza species. This is a diploid species with AgAg genome.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is grown in swamps. It grows on flood plains of savanna regions. It does best with temperatures of 30-35°C. It grows from sea level to 1,700 m altitude. It can tolerate low soil fertility. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Congo, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Ethiopia, French Equatorial Africa, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger (country/location of origin), Nigeria, Panama, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South America, Sudan, Togo, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The grain can be cooked and eaten. It is also ground into flour. This is sweetened with rice flour and honey for bread. It is fermented into beer.

It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Usually seeds remain dormant for a few months after harvesting. Seed usually emerge after 4-5 days. Seed are usually broadcast without using a nursery. The juvenile stage lasts for 3 weeks then tillering occurs for 3-4 weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Baga-male, Erisi, Issa-mo, Kamor, Kebelei, Kono, Mala, maPunga, Mba, Mbei, Mou-ber, Osikapa, Pa, Red rice, Riz des Baga, West African rice

Synonyms

Oryza barthii ssp. glaberrima;