Rat's tail grass, Catstail grass, Catstail drop seed
Sporobolus pyramidalis

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a robust grass and densely tufted. It keeps growing from year to year. It grow 1.7 m high. The leaves are long and roll inwards. They are greyish. They taper to a long fine point. The flowering shoots are 45 cm long. They are very narrow. The branches are erect and 10 cm long. They have small, dark grey-green spikelets.

There are about 160 Sporobolus species. They are mainly in the tropics and subtropics. It has a C4 pathway.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows over most of tropical Africa often near water. In southern Africa it grows from sea level to 2,290 m altitude. It grows in hot arid areas. It can tolerate shade. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,900 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Paraguay, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Uruguay, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten as a grain. They are used in flat bread.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aish el far, Burdi, Gansaga, Girole, Keri, Kurbata, Mol, Mon, Motisan, Saga, Tamara el fahr, Tot, Tsinde

Synonyms

Sporobolus indicus var. pyramidalis (P. Beauv.) Peter; Sporobolis hypseloteros Chiov.; Sporobolus rueppelianus Fresen.; Vilfa pyramidalis (P. Beauv.) Steud.; Vilfa rueppeliana (Fresen.) Steud.;