Eragrostis gangetica

(Roxb.) Steud.

Slimflower lovegrass

Poaceae Edible: Seeds, Cereal 17 iNaturalist observations

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Description

An annual grass. It grows 75 cm tall. The leaf blades are 3-15 cm long by 1-3 mm wide. The flower panicle is 6-20 cm long.

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Edible Uses

Seed - eaten as a cereal. The seed is small and fiddly to utilize - it is most commonly seen as a famine food, used when nothing better is available.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the plant is used as a treatment for sore feet.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows on flood plain grasslands and sand banks along rivers. It grows from 500-1700 m altitude.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Asia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

The plant is often a weed of cultivation.

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ, only just covering the seed. Germination is usually very quick and free.

Notes

There are about 300 Eragrostis species.

Synonyms

Eragrostis elegantula Steud.many Poa gangetica Roxb.

Also Known As

Asara, Bunga-manene, Gyo-gya-myet, Jenkua, Kaluargi, Khari, Todha

References (7)

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 26
Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 198
Flora Zambesiaca. http://apps.kew.org/efloras
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 70
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 3

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