Smut grass
Sporobolus indicus

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass that keeps growing from year to year. The stalks are erect. It grows 30-90 cm high. The leaf blades are slender and 25 cm long. They are 1-3 mm wide. The flowers are in dense spike-like groups. These are 1-4 cm long.

There are about 160 Sporobolus species. They are mainly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 3,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Chile, East Africa, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Haiti, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Myanmar, Pacific, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Uruguay, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Alambrillo, Harataa

Synonyms

Agrostis elongata Lam. [Illegitimate]; Agrostis indica L.; Agrostis orientalis Nees [Illegitimate]; Agrostis tenacissima L. f.; Agrostis tenuissima Spreng.; Andropogon intortum Crantz; Paspalum lanceifolium Desv.; Paspalum parviflorum Desv. [Invalid]; Sporobolus angustus Buckley; Sporobolus berteroanus (Trin.) Hitchc. & Chase; Sporobolus exilis (Trin.) Balansa; Sporobolus indicus f. africanoides Jovet & Guédès; Sporobolus indicus var. andinus Renvoize; Sporobolus indicus var. exilis (Trin.) T. Koyama; Sporobolus indicus var. indicus; Sporobolus indicus f. indicus; Sporobolus indicus subsp. indicus; Sporobolus indicus f. microspiculus Jovet & Guédès; Sporobolus indicus var. tenacissimus (L.f.) Peter; Sporobolus lamarckii Desv. ex Ham. [Illegitimate]; Sporobolus orientalis (Nees) Kunth [Illegitimate]; Sporobolus tenacissimus (L.f.) P. Beauv.; Vilfa angusta Buckley; Vilfa berteroana Trin.; Vilfa elongata (Lam.) P. Beauv. [Illegitimate]; Vilfa exilis Trin.; Vilfa indica (L.) Trin. ex Steud.; Vilfa orientalis Nees ex Trin.; Vilfa tenacissima (L.f.) Kunth; Vilfa tenacissima var. exilis (Trin.) E. Fourn.;