Common Name: Uva Grass

General Information

Gynerium sagittatum is a large, stout grass that usually grow 3 - 6 metres tall, sometimes to 10 metres or more. It produces large, usually unbranched, clumps of culms 2 - 4cm in diameter from large, creeping rhizomes[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials and medicines. It is also sometimes cultivated for its culms in parts of S. America[]. The plumes are used for dry floral arrangements[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

S. America - Argentina and Paraguay, north through S. America to the Caribbean and through Central America to Guatemala.

Habitat

Rocky thickets, gravel bars, along rivers, and in rocky, brushy stream beds, at elevations of 300 - 700 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

An aquatic plant; it grows best in a moisture-retentive, fertile, humus-rich soil, or in in shallow water, and a position in full sun[].
Plants can produce large lateral runners which may extend for considerable distances[]. Horizontal runners or rhizomes, both surface or underground, are constantly active and establish new plants or clumps as far as 20 metres from the parent plant[]. If not controlled, the plant slowly invades wet bottomland pastures and eliminates forage plants. Periodic mowing appears to be adequate for control of advancing clumps[].
Growth of uva grass is rapid. Nursery seedlings reached heights of 20, , and 50 cm after 1, , and 4 months. How long seedlings take to reach maturity and how rapidly suckers grow is unknown. Theoretically, baring catastrophes and invasion and shading by trees, individual plants can endure indefinitely. Culms of Amazon Basin plants produced close to 200 leaves during their lifetimes, having from 19 to 28 living leaves at a time. Unbranched culms die after flowering, but only the branches of branched culms die[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The stems are used to treat snakebites[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Uva grass provides cover for wildlife and protects stream banks from erosion[].

Other Uses

The culms lack the strength and toughness of hardwoods and bamboo but still are used for many purposes, including as long arrows, for making trellises and lattices, as slats, as poles for propelling canoes, for light construction work, plant supports etc[, , , ].
Sections of smaller stems are used to make earplugs and the bases of feather 'flowers' which are hung on necklaces[].

The leaves are used for thatching, and for weaving mats, baskets, and hats[].

Propagation

Seed -
Division of the rhizomes.

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