Gramineae

A. galpinii

Gongoni steekgras, wire grass, Ngongoni three-awn grass

Arundinoideae; Aristideae. There are about 290 species occurring in temperate and subtropical parts of the world, of which there are 27 species indigenous to southern Africa.

Subspecies galpinii is endemic to southern Africa (South Africa and Lesotho). Subspecies junciformis occurs from East to South Africa in savanna and grassland, but also all the way to Cape Town in Fynbos vegetation. It occurs on stony hillsides and disturbed areas in high mountainous areas with a high rainfall. Some of the grasslands of the eastern seaboard of South Africa are named after this grass ('Ngongoni Veld, Natal Mist Belt 'Ngongoni Veld).

There are two subspecies, junciformis and galpinii.
A perennial rhizomatous and tufted grass that grows to a height of 900 mm tall (subspecies galpinii may only grow to 500 mm tall). Leaf blades are up to 300 mm long and 3 mm wide (1 mm wide in subspecies galpinii). Culms are unbranched. Leaves in subspecies galpinii are basal and form a dense basal tuft in which the culms remain hidden, whereas in subspecies junciformis the leaves are mainly cauline or at least not densely basal so that the culms are always clearly visible for most of their length. The ligule is a fringed membrane to a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence is paniculate, open or contracted and espatheate with the spikelet bearing axes persistent. The spikelets are 15-30 mm long including the awns. Three awns, the lateral two well-developed. A. junciformis may be confused with A. transvaalensis, which has branched culms, lateral awns either absent or small and occurs in rocky habitats, and A. aequiglumis, which is densely tufted with leaves concentrated exclusively in the lower part of the tuft.

This is a hard unpalatable species which has no grazing value. In areas where selective overgrazing takes place this grass forms dense stands which are very difficult to eradicate and is considered a weed in these circumstances. It does however, create excellent ground cover which prevents soil erosion in the high altitude and rainfall areas in which it occurs. Very good grass for making brooms for domestic use.

Chromosome base number, x = 11 and 12

C₄ photosynthetic pathway.

None reported and considered to be non-toxic.

Found in mountainous regions with high rainfall a temperate climate. It is a climax species that increases during overgrazing. In lower rainfall areas it may occur in wet places such as seasonal pans and wetlands or on the sides of roads and other disturbed places. It is an indicator of overgrazing and/or disturbance and under these circumstances has become one of the most dominant grasses in many of the high rainfall sour grasslands of South Africa, including KwaZulu-Natal, north-eastern Free State.

It grows in poor, gravely soils on slopes derived from basalt or sandstone and also on clay soils in bottomlands.

A. junciformis is not propagated.

Flowers from November to May.

None known

Slow-growing, but persistent.

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.

Low, A.B. & Rebelo, A.G. (eds.) 1996. Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Companion to the vegetation map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Dept. of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Pretoria.

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

Zacharias, P.J.K. 1990. Acocks' Notes: key grasses of South Africa. Grassland Society of Southern Africa, Howick.