Aristida mutabilis Trin. & Rupr.
غمري
For people
- Eaten by people
- Not edible
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Limited fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Unknown
Edibility and safety notes
A grazing grass, not a human food: no source records people eating it. Livestock graze it mainly while young; once in seed the sharp three-branched awns make it unpalatable, and awns of this group of grasses are reported to injure the mouth, eyes and skin of cattle and sheep and to tangle in wool. It is not known to be chemically poisonous; the dry straw is eaten after the seeds fall.
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Description
A tufted annual grass 10-70 cm tall. Leaf blades flat, folded or rolled, 4-14 cm long; the ligule is a dense fringe of hairs. Spikelets are crowded at the ends of hair-fine branches in a loose panicle 4-20 cm long. Glumes unequal (lower 4-5 mm, upper 6.5-7 mm). The lemma is 2.5-3 mm long and bears an awn with a column about 3 mm long that divides into three spreading, nearly equal branches 15-18 mm (rarely to 30 mm) long. Flowers in spring.
Habitat
Sand and sandy-rocky ground in deserts and dry shrubland.
Distribution
Native range from the Sahara to northwest India and Tanzania. Found across North Africa, West Africa, northeast tropical Africa, east tropical Africa, western Asia, Arabia and India.
Pastoral value
Rated good grazing in the field guide. Other sources say it is grazed mainly when young; once in seed the sharp awns make it unpalatable and can injure animals, though the dry straw is eaten after the seed is shed.
Other uses
The whole plant is used for thatching in the Sahel (Niger).
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.154)
- Plants of the World Online — Aristida mutabilis Trin. & Rupr. — powo.science.kew.org
- JSTOR Global Plants — Aristida mutabilis (Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa entry) — plants.jstor.org
- JIRCAS Fakara Plants (Niger) — Aristida mutabilis — jircas.go.jp
- Kew GrassBase — Aristida mutabilis — kew.org
- Feedipedia — Aristida adscensionis (related species, awns and forage value) — feedipedia.org
From the same family
All in this family
Poaceae
Mangrove grass, Rabbit-foot grass, Salt grass
Aeluropus lagopoides (L.) Trin.
Poaceae
Littoral aeluropus, Shore grass
Aeluropus littoralis (Gouan) Parl.
Poaceae
Mauritian grass
Apluda mutica L.
Poaceae
Swollen fingergrass, Purpletop chloris, Swollen windmill grass, Peacock plumegrass
Chloris barbata Sw.