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Useful Tropical Plants

Leptochloa chinensis

(L.) Nees

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Cynodon virgatus Willd.

Cynosurus capillaceus Beauv.

Eleusine chinensis (L.) F.Muell.

Leptochloa capillacea Beauv.

Leptochloa eragrostoides Steud.

Leptochloa tetraquetra J. & C.Presl

Poa chinensis L.

Poa secundaria Heyne ex Hook.f.

Poa sessilis Lam.

Poa sinensis J.F.Gmel.

Common Name: Red Sprangletop

Leptochloa chinensis
Plant dug up to show how it spreads by rhizomes
Photograph by: Tony Rodd
Creative Commons License
Leptochloa chinensis Leptochloa chinensis Leptochloa chinensis Leptochloa chinensis Leptochloa chinensis

General Information

Red sprangletop is a strongly tufted annual or perennial grass with erect culms ascending 12 - 120cm tall[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
].
The seed is sometimes gathered from the wild for local food use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Eastern Africa, through tropical Asia to Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

Habitat

Adapted to moist, swampy places in open habitats, especially if disturbed, on heavy or light soils at elevations from sea level to 1,400 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *
HabitAnnual/Perennial
Height1.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



A weed of rice, sugarcane, vegetables, cotton and corn, it is able to establish and grow profusely in waterlogged conditions before crops can take a hold[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
]. A serious weed in Indonesia, Philippines, Swaziland, Thailand; and a principal weed in India, Japan and Malaysia[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
].

Edible Uses

Seed[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. A famine food[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-11. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Leptochloa+chinensis>

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