Gramineae

Enneapogon filifolius (Pilg.) Stapf ex Garabedian

Bottlebrush grass

Chloridoideae; Pappophoreae. There are about 30 species of Enneapogon in warm parts of the world of which 7 are indigenous to southern Africa.

Occurs in southern tropical Africa in dry grassland in Savanna, Grassland, Nama-karoo and Desert biomes. In South Africa it is found mostly in Arid Thornveld vegetation types.

A densely tufted perennial grass that grows to a height of 300-650 mm tall. Leaf blades are 50-200 mm long, filiform and up to 3 mm wide. The plant is wiry, sparsely hairy and the culms are erect. The ligule is a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence is paniculate, feathery, unbranched and contracted. The spikelet-bearing axes are persistent. The spikelets are 3.5-4.5 mm long, compressed laterally, disarticulating above the glumes but not between the florets. There are two unequal awnless glumes. The lemma awns are hair-fringed. E. scoparius is often confused with E. cenchroides, which is sparser, taller and has broader leaves and longer inflorescences.

Utilized as a natural grazing species, but due to the tough, unpalatable leaves it is only grazed in the absence of other palatable species. It is a hardy grass which plays an important role in stabilizing and protecting soil in eroded places.

Chromosome base number, x = 9 or 10

C₄ photosynthetic pathway.

None reported and considered to be non-toxic.

Occurs in the summer rainfall areas in the south-eastern part of its distribution and in winter rainfall areas in the western part of its range. In all these areas it occurs in arid to semi-arid areas (less than 600 mm per annum), but grows mostly in the shade under trees and on stony slopes or eroded places. Peak flowering coincides with time of maximum rainfall. A climax species that becomes dominant in overgrazed rangeland.

Grows in limestone areas in shallow and gravely soil.

E. scoparius is not propagated.

Grows and flowers throughout the year, but mostly in summer (in winter in northern Namibia).

None known

Moderate to slow-growing

Acocks, J.P.H. 1988. Veld types of South Africa (3rd edn.). Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Afr. No 28. Government printer, Pretoria.

Gibbs-Russell, G.E., Watson, L., Koekemoer, M., Smook, L. Barker, N.P., Anderson, H.M., Dallwitz, M.J. 1989. Grasses of southern Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa, No. 58, National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Van Wyk, E. & Van Oudtshoorn, F. 1999. Guide to grasses of southern Africa. Briza Publications, Arcadia, South Africa.