Graminae 

Common names: Double comb grass

Description

Tough perennial, mat-forming with wiry stolons and slender ascending culms 35-112 cm high. Leaf-blades flat, stiff, 4-25 cm long and 3-6 mm wide, acuminate. Inflorescence of usually 2 diverging spikes each 3-7 cm in length (rarely only one or three spikes present). Spikelets 3-6-flowered, 3-5.3 mm long; the awn on the upper glume 11/2-2 as long as the glume; lemmas acute to mucronulate; anthers 1.1-1.7 mm long; grain about 1 mm long, transversely rugose.

Habitat

Common near the sea shore but also in coastal bushland on moist sandy soils.

Altitude range

0-170 m.

Distribution

Kenya; also on coastal United Republic of Tanzania and Eastern Africa from Somalia to South Africa.

Use

Not known.

Edited by: F. Guiso Gallisai
Information taken from: Ibrahim, K. M., Kabuye, C. H. S. 1988. An illustrated manual of Kenya grasses. Rome, FAO. 765 pp.