Brachiaria brizantha

Signal, palisade, bread, Ceylon sheep grass

A coarse broad-leaved perennial grass up to 2 m high. Rhizonatous or stoloniferous. Very variable in habit, leafiness, hairiness and yield. Grows on most soils in sheltered places with over 750 mm of rainfall. Withstands moderate drought and binds loose soils. Prostrate types, which have high leaf stem and protein content, form valuable pastures. Under rainfed conditions only one or two cuttings possible owing to rather poor recovery. Propagated by seed. Can be grown together with Centrosema pubescens or Pueraria phaseoloides.