Sporobolus airoides

Sporobolus airoides is a species of grass known by the common name alkali sacaton. It is native to western North America, including the Western United States west of the Mississippi River, British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, and northern and central Mexico. It grows in many types of habitat, often in alkali soils, such as in California desert regions.

Description

A grass. It forms bunches and can grow to 2 m tall. The stem bases are thick and tough. The leaves are green to grey and 50-60 cm long. The flowering shoots are long and wide open.

Edible Uses

The seed can be eaten raw or cooked. It is parched and ground into a flour, then eaten dry or made into a mush. The grain falls free from the chaff when fully ripe. This seed was used in quantity by the Hopi Indians, particularly in times of famine, and is considered a famine food used only when other options are exhausted.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are parched, ground and eaten dry or made into mush.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows well in alkaline soils. It will also grow in salty soils.

Where It Grows

Asia, India, North America*, USA,

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Germination should occur within 2 weeks. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out in summer if sufficiently grown, otherwise overwinter in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring the following year. Divide in spring; larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions. Smaller divisions are best potted up and grown on in a lightly shaded cold frame, planted out once well established in summer.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Notes

There are about 160 Sporobolus species. They are mainly in the tropics and subtropics.

Synonyms

References (7)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 596
• 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)
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 181
• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 834
• Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 542

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