Poaceae FAMILY

Themeda triandra

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

Wilted culms contain hydrocyanic acid and are a danger to livestock[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. Sheep farmers in southern Africa find the seed a nuisance as it becomes entangled in sheep’s fleece, causing serious injury known as 'traumatic purulent dermatitis'[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ].

Botanical Description

Themeda triandra is a slow-growing, usually clump-forming, perennial grass with erect culms from 30 - 200cm tall332, 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. , 1858 Title A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos Publication Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40 Author Veldkamp J.F. Website http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349 Publisher Year 2016 ISBN Description ]. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a thatch and medicine. The seed is eaten in times of famine. Because of the various colours of the leaves, some cultivars are used as ornamentals[ 1858 Title A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos Publication Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40 Author Veldkamp J.F. Website http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349 Publisher Year 2016 ISBN Description ]. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental, and has been known to escape from cultivation and become established[ 1858 Title A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos Publication Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40 Author Veldkamp J.F. Website http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349 Publisher Year 2016 ISBN Description ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeWidespread from Africa, through Asia to the Philippines and Australia.

HabitatDominant in the extensive Acacia-grasslands at elevations from 1,200 - 2,000 metres in East Africa, and widespread elsewhere in grassland and in open woodlands, especially on clay soils, at elevations from sea level to over 3,000 metres[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ].