Description
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A perennial, tussock-forming, rhizomatous grass with creeping stems much branched from the base, tufted, smooth, erect and covered with shining sheaths. Basal leaves are fascicled, rigid, and acuminate and the leaf tip is filiform; the margin is hispid. Leaf sheaths are glabrous and the ligule is in the form of a hairy line; lower leaf-sheaths are coriaceous and often densely flabellate. Inflorescence is a raceme, erect or curving outwards with narrowly ovate to linear-oblong spikelets. Fruit is an obliquely ovoid caryopsis with adnate pericarp.
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Distribution in Egypt
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Nile region, oases, Egyptian desert and Sinai.
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Global Distribution
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Habitat
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By springs, along water-courses, in wet alluvium and in areas of cultivation.
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Life Expectancy
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Comments
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This is a tough grass of arid regions, useful as a soil binder.
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Comments
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On account of the existence of the genus Desmostachys Planch. (Olacinaceae, 1882) the new generic name Stapfiola was proposed by Kuntze (1903) for Desmostachya Stapf. This new name has not been generally accepted and it is expressly stated in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (1961 edition, Art. 75) that Desmostachya is not likely to be confused with Desmostachys and is therefore to be maintained as a valid generic name. Opinions about the economic usefulness of this grass vary. Duthie reports that cattle will not normally eat it although buffalo do, while Blatter & McCann point out that in Afghanistan it is considered to be a good fodder gross.
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Description
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Coarse perennial forming large leafy tussocks, also with widely spreading scaly rhizomes. Culms rigid, branched at base and covered with leathery yellowish sheaths, 80–100 cm tall, ca. 7 mm in diam. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades flat or inrolled, tough, 18–30 × 0.4–1 cm, adaxial surface and margins scabrid, abaxial surface rather smooth, apex long acuminate; ligule ca. 0.3 mm. Inflorescence 20–60 × 2–3 cm; racemes ascending or spreading, crowded or spaced, 0.5–3.5 cm; main axis and rachis hispidulous. Spikelets elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 2–10 mm, stramineous or purplish, florets 3–10; glumes ovate-lanceolate; lower glume 0.7–1.5 mm; upper glume 1.1–2 mm; lemmas ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.7 mm; palea keels scabrid. Fl. and fr. summer.
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Description
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Harsh tussocky rihozomatous perennial; culms stout, up to 1.2 m high. Leaf-blades up to 65 cm long, 3.8-10.5 mm wide when unrolled; lower leaf-sheaths leathery, often densely flabellate towards the base of the culm. Inflorescence up to 60 cm long; spikes clustered or spaced, 14 cm long. Spikelets 3-17-flowered, narrowly ovate to linear-oblong, 3-10 mm long; lower glume 0.7-1.5 mm long, upper glume 1.1-2.0 mm long; lemmas straw-coloured or suffused with purple, 1.8-2.7 mm long.
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Distribution
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Distribution: Pakistan (Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab, N.W.F.P. & Kashmir); through-out the Middle East to Indo-China; North and tropical Africa.
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Flower/Fruit
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Fl. & Fr. Per. July-October or November.
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Habitat & Distribution
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Arid regions with water table near surface. Hainan [Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam; N and NE Africa, SW Asia, Australia (Cocos Islands)].
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Synonym
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Briza bipinnata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 2: 875. 1759; Eragrostis cynosuroides (Retzius) P. Beauvois; Poa cynosur-oides Retzius.
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Desmostachya bipinnata
provided by wikipedia EN
Desmostachya bipinnata, commonly known as halfa grass, big cordgrass, and salt reed-grass,[3] is an Old World perennial grass, long known and used in human history. The grass is tall, tufted, leafy, perennial grass, branching from the base, erect from a stout creeping rootstock.[4]
Distribution
Desmostachya bipinnata is native to northeast and west tropical, and northern Africa (in Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia); and countries in the Middle East, and temperate and tropical Asia (in Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand).[5]
In agriculture, Desmostachya bipinnata is a weed commonly found in wheat crops.[6]
Taxonomy
On the basis of distinct morphological and reproductive characters, four new subspecies of D. bipinnata have been described by Pandeya and Pandeya (2002). However, it is uncertain whether these subspecies represent actual genetic differences, the authors also note the existence of different biotypes occurring in response to soil and climatic conditions in western India. The four subspecies proposed are:
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D. bipinnata longispiculata;
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D. bipinnata jodhpurensis;
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D. bipinnata sheelai;
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D. bipinnata agraensis.
Religious significance
Desmostachya bipinnata has long been used in various traditions (Hindus, Jains and Buddhists) as a very sacred plant. According to early Buddhist accounts, it was the material used by Buddha for his meditation seat when he attained enlightenment.[7] It is mentioned in the Rig Veda for use in sacred ceremonies and also as a seat for priests and the gods.[8] Kusha grass is specifically recommended by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as part of the ideal seat for meditation.[9][10][11]
Other
In folk medicine, Desmostachya bipinnata has been used to treat dysentery and menorrhagia, and as a diuretic.[12]
In arid regions, Desmostachya bipinnata is used as fodder for livestock.[5]
References
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^ Lansdown, R.V. (2013). "Desmostachya bipinnata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T13579796A13596921. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T13579796A13596921.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
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^ a b "Desmostachya bipinnata". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
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^ Martha Modzelevich. "Desmostachya bipinnata". Flowers in Israel. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
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^ Pandeya, Amita; Pandeya, S. C. (2002). "Environment and population differentiation in Desmostachya bipinnata (Linn.) Stapf in western India". Tropical Ecology. 43 (2): 359–362. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.605.8410.
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^ a b "Desmostachya bipinnata". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved June 15, 2011.
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^ Ahmad, R.; Shaikh, A.S. (January–June 2003). "Common Weeds of Wheat and Their Control" (PDF). Pakistan Journal of Water Resources. 7 (1): 73–76. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
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^ Professor Paul Williams (2006). Buddhism: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies (Critical Concepts in Religious Studies S.). New York: Routledge. p. 262. ISBN 0-415-33226-5.
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^ Griffith, Ralph T. H. (1896). The Hymns of the Rigveda, Volume 1. p. 4. ISBN 9781428630772.
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^ "Establishing a firm seat for himself, In a clean place, Not too high, Not too low, covered with cloth, and antelope skin, and kusha grass" (B.G. VI:11)
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^ Smith, Huston; Chapple, Christopher; Sargeant, Winthrop (2009). The Bhagavad Gita (Excelsior Editions). Excelsior Editions/State University of New York. p. 282. ISBN 978-1-4384-2842-0.
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^ Mahdihassan, S. (1987). "Three Important Vedic Grasses" (PDF). Indian Journal of History of Science. 22 (4): 286–291. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
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^ James A. Duke. "Desmostachya bipinnata (POACEAE)". Green Farmacy Garden, Fulton, Maryland: Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
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Desmostachya bipinnata: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Desmostachya bipinnata, commonly known as halfa grass, big cordgrass, and salt reed-grass, is an Old World perennial grass, long known and used in human history. The grass is tall, tufted, leafy, perennial grass, branching from the base, erect from a stout creeping rootstock.
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