Perennial, tufted grass (0.3 – 1.5 m) with blue-green leaves turning reddish-brown in summer. Fire-adapted, wind-pollinated, and critical for grassland ecosystems. Forms dense stands in savannas and grasslands, valued for soil stabilization and as a grazing resource. Forms the backbone of temperate grasslands in Africa and Australia.
Insects:Hosts grasshoppers and Lepidoptera larvae (Coeliades forestan).Wildlife:Grazed by zebra, antelope, cattle.Soil:Reduces erosion; recovers rapidly post-fire.Ecosystem Services:Key species for grassland restoration; seeds ground into flour by indigenous peoples.
Red-brown spikelets with black awns; wind-dispersed seeds.
Seeds eaten by finches, quail; nesting cover for ground birds.
Sow post-fire/scarification; germination in 7 – 14 days.
Not applicable
Thatching, weaving; medicinal tea for colds.
