Weeping lovegrass
Eragrostis curvula

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. A densely tufted plant. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 60-100 cm high. There are many leaves and they are very narrow They have a fine tip. The flowering shoots can be 30 cm long. There are many flowering spikes lying close to the branch. They are dark grey-green. They are 5-6 mm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical to temperate plant. It grows in humid but not wet soils. It grows in hot arid areas with an annual rainfall between 300-1,000 mm. It can grow in acid and weakly salty soils. It grows from sea level to 3,500 m above sea level. It will re-grow after fire. It can grow in sands and alkaline soils. It can grow in arid places. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Central Africa, Chile, China, East Africa, Eswatini, Iran, Kenya, Korea, Lesotho, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, North America, Pakistan, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, St Helena, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Uruguay, USA, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are used for bread and also for making beer.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Seeds, grain, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Eragrostis chloromelas Steud.; Eragrostis jeffreysii Hack.; Poa curvula Schrad.;