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Graminae
Common names
Salt-water couch (Australia), beach drop-seed, sea-shore rush
grass (Hawaii).
Description
Rhizomatous perennial with lanceolate, spine-tipped Leaf-blades
growing 15-40 cm tall, erect, from creeping, hard, scaly rhizomes. Inflorescence
dense, spikelike, up to 15 mm wide with short appressed branches and pale
spikelets (Napper, 1965). The panicle is shorter than many other Sporobolus
spp., being not more than 7.5 cm long (Parham, 1955).
Distribution
Along coasts in tropical Africa, western seaboard of India,
Sri Lanka, Australia and the United States.
Season of growth
Perennial.
Soil requirements
It has a wide range, from clays to sands.
Vigour of growth and growth
rhythm
It makes some growth all the year.
Grazing management
For maximum production no more than half of current growth
(by weight) should be removed in any season. Summer grazing deferments
of at least 120 days are important to maintain vigour in the southern United
States (Leithead, Yarlett & Shiflet, 1971).
Response to fire
Controlled burning results in lush, tender forage for winter
grazing. Burning should be done not more often than every two years when
water is above the soil surface. Allow 10 cm of regrowth after burning
before grazing (Leithead, Yarlett & Shiflet, 1971).
Main attributes
Its tolerance of salinity and its ability to stabilize sea-shores.
Palatability
Good.
Chemical analysis and
digestibility
It is high in protein and minerals.
Natural habitat
Sand dunes just above high-water mark, and behind mangrove
swamps.
Tolerance to flooding
It does best if the water level fluctuates from 5 cm above
the soil surface to 15 cm below (Leithead, Yarlett & Shiflet, 1971).
Prolonged inundation kills it.
Genetics and reproduction
2n= 18, 30 (Fedorov, 1974).
Seed production and harvesting
It produces seed several times throughout the year.
Economics
It is an important grass for saline coastal or subcoastal areas
throughout the tropical world.
Animal production
In northern Queensland it provides important grazing for beef
cattle throughout the year, but especially during the dry season
Further reading
Leithead, Yarlett & Shiflet, 1971.
Value for erosion control
A valuable stabilizer of wind-eroded shorelines (Rose- Innes,
1977).
Tolerance to salinity
It grows on highly saline marsh soils.
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