Love grass
Eragrostis ciliaris

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It is a tufted annual. It grows 5-60 cm high. The leaf blade is flat and 12 cm long by 5 mm wide. The flower panicle is like a spike but interrupted. It is 1-20 cm long and woolly. The spikelets have 6-12 flowers. The seeds are up to 0.5 mm long.

There are about 300 Eragrostis species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It can grow in sandy locations including pure coastal sand. In West Africa it grows from sea level to 1,400 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arabia, Argentina, Asia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Chad, China, Congo, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Iran, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It is a famine food. It has good food value.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ahipody, Gophertail, Kumburar kama

Synonyms

Eragrostis ciliaris var. brachystachya Boiss.; Eragrostis pulchella Parl; Megastachya ciliaris (Linn.) P. Beauv.; Poa ciliaris Linn.;