Tropical cup grass
Eriochloa fatmensis

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

An annual grass. It grows 10-120 cm high. It can be erect or bent upwards. The leaf blades are 3-30 cm long and 2-10 mm wide. The flower panicle is 3-20 cm long. The stalk can be 3 sided and hairy. The spikes are in pairs. The spikelets are sword shape and 3-5 mm long.

There are about 30 Eriochloa species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It can grow in wet or dry conditions. It grows in damp conditions and in marshes and near lakes. It grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indochina, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Buteri, Geron

Synonyms

Erichloa acrotricha (Steud.) Hack. ex Thell.; Eriochloa fouchei Stent; Eriochloa nubica (Steud.) Hack. & Stapf ex Thell.; Eriochloa punctata (L.) Ham. var. acrotricha (Steud.) K. Schum.; Helopus acrotrichus Steud.; Helopus nubicus Steud.; Panicum annulatum A. Rich.; Panicum fatmense Hochst. & Steud.;