Beckmannia eruciformis

(L.) Host.

Sloughgrass

Poaceae Edible: Seeds, Cereal 412 iNaturalist observations

food

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Beckmannia eruciformis, the European slough-grass or slough grass, is an annual or short lived perennial in the grass family, Poaceae, found in shallow marshes or sloughs, and used for animal fodder and forage.

Description

An annual grass. It is tall. The leaves are flat. The flowering shoots are at the top of the plant.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed Edible Uses: Seed - cooked. A mild flavour, it can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal. The seed is very small but is easily harvested. It does then have to be separated from its husk, which is a very fiddly operation. Some N. American Indian tribes burn the husks of grass seeds.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Canada, Europe, Japan, North America, USA,

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring in pots in a cold frame. Do not let the soil dry out. Very quick germination. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If there is sufficient seed, it can be sown in situ in the spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Other Uses

Bedding The plant is used for making bedding and pillows. Special Uses

Notes

There are only two Beckmannia species.

References (6)

Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 55
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 91
Icon. descr. gram. austriac. 3:5, t. 6. 1805
Menninger, E.A., 1977, Edible Nuts of the World. Horticultural Books. Florida p 146

Show all 6 references