Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica, the Indian goosegrass, yard-grass, goosegrass, wiregrass, or crowfootgrass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is a small annual grass distributed throughout the warmer areas of the world to about 50 degrees latitude. It is an invasive species in some areas. Eleusine indica is closely related to Eleusine coracana (finger millet or African finger millet), and the diploid E. indica is likely an ancestor of the allotetraploid E. coracana. Seeds of E. indica are edible and are sometimes used as a famine food, but yields are low. It is an important weed of cultivated crops, lawns, and golf courses. It thrives in disturbed areas with compacted soils in full sun. Both tillage and herbicides are used in its control. This low-growing grass is capable of setting seed even when closely mown. Some populations have evolved resistance to certain herbicides, including glyphosate. Eleusine indica performs C4 photosynthesis and therefore can grow in hot climates and in the hotter months of the temperate zone. Its seeds germinate later in spring than most other temperate zone weeds, such as crabgrasses. Though usually considered an annual, it may survive for more than a year in climates not subject to frost.

Description

A tufted annual grass. It grows up to 0.6 m tall. It has many branches from the base and tough wiry stems. The stems are slender and flattened. The leaves are 17 cm long and 3-8 mm wide. The leaves are covered with a bluish-green bloom. They are folded. The flower spikes are divided like fingers on a hand except for one which is single and below. The flowers do not have stalks and the flower spikes are 4-15 cm long. The seed heads shatter at maturity dropping their seed.

Edible Uses

The seed, though rather small, can be cooked whole or ground into a flour for cakes and gruels, and is sometimes used as a famine food. Young seedlings can be eaten raw or cooked and used as a side dish with rice. The root is edible raw.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are used as food in times of food shortage. They are parched and ground into flour for cakes, porridge or gruel. It is used in kreb a grain mixture eaten in Chad. They are also used for alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The young shoots are eaten. They can be eaten raw or steamed and eaten with rice.

Medicinal Uses

The whole plant, particularly the root, is depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, laxative, and sudorific. It is used in treating liver complaints. In Vietnamese traditional medicine it forms part of the 'basic remedy' and is also used for influenza, hypertension, oliguria, and retention of urine. The plant can be used fresh or dried.

Known Hazards

The plant often contains prussic acid (Cyanogenetic glucoside), the main concentration being in the seeds, where it can vary from 0.015 to 0.019%, which is just below the theoretical potential danger level.

Distribution

It is mainly a tropical and subtropical plant. In the tropics it grows from sea level to 1800 m altitude. It tends to grow in places high in nitrogen. It grows on clayey soil. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Asia*, Australia, Azores, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canary Island, Caroline Islands, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Chuuk, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, French Guiana, FSM, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Micronesia, Middle East, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Rwanda, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Turkey, Türkiye, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It is mostly self sown from seed. Seed are spread in animal manure.

Propagation

Sow seed in early spring in a greenhouse, only just covering it. Germination should occur within 2 weeks. Prick seedlings out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Seed can also be sown in mid to late spring in situ, though it may not ripen if the summer is cool.

Other Uses

The stems are used to make mats and baskets. The plant is also suitable for paper manufacture.

Production

It Australia plants flower and fruit in April.

Other Information

It is a famine food. It is sold in local markets in China.

Notes

It commonly becomes self sown and considered a problem in some situations. It has 2 sets of chromosomes compared to 4 in finger millet but it can cross with finger millet. It is used in Chinese medicine. There are 9 Eleusine species. They are mostly in tropical Africa.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Albali, Bticatchor, Butchuque, Caa pii, Capi, Capim-da-cidade, Capimde-pomar, Crowsfoot grass, Dande, Dulu, Fahitalo, Fatao, Fowl-foot grass, Godong ula, Goose grass, Grama carraspe ra, Grama de caballo, Gramillon, Huibinbi, Huk you, I puva, Jukut jampang, Kalassindra, Kalolo, Khai futun bobibia, Kinsali, Kodo ghans, Licoro, Lukata, Makar nachni, Mandla, Myet-thakwa, Nandia, Nin jin cao, Niu dun cao, Nya phak khuaai, Oxgrass, Pata de gallo, Pie de gallina, Rumput belulang, Rumput sambau, Rumput welulang, Sambau, Sarut, Se-gwa, Sikwaluku, Sin-myet, Sinngo-myet, Suket lulangan, Ta'ata'a, Thippa ragi, Wire grass, Ya tin ka

References (65)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 25
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 193
• Bandyopadhyay, S. et al, 2009, Wild edible plants of Koch Bihar district, West Bengal. Natural Products Radiance 8(1) 64-72
• Borrell, O.W., 1989, An Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Kairiru Island, New Guinea. Marcellin College, Victoria Australia. p 23, 159
• Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2. Kew.

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