Melinis repens

(Willd.) Zizka

Natal red-top, Natal grass

Poaceae Edible: Leaves 19,508 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A herb. It is an annual grass that forms tufts. It has runners and can keep growing from year to year. It grows 1.5 m tall. The leaf blade is 20 cm long by 0.2-1.4 cm wide.

Edible Uses

The leaves are edible.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It suits hot arid places. It can grow in dry sandy soils. It is best in well drained soils. It grows between sea level and 2,600 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,300 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa*, Angola, Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Easter Island, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Ghana, Guam, Guatemala, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

It has a C4 pathway.

Synonyms

Tricholaena repens (Willd.) A. Hitchc.Tricholaena rosea NeesRhynchelytrum roseum (Nees) Stapf & C. E. Hubb.Rhynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C. E. HubbardSaccharum repens Willd.

Also Known As

Chiundo, Culana, Zancole

References (3)

Jackes, B. R., 2010, Plants of Magnetic Island. 3rd Edition. James Cook University, Australia. p 34
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 3rd June 2011]
Zizka, G., 1991, Flowering Plants of Easter Island. Palmarum Hortus Francofurtensis