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Useful Tropical Plants

Oryza glaberrima

Steud.

Poaceae


This species is closely related to Oryza barthi and Oryza longistaminata[
1040
Title
The Wild Relatives of Rice, A Genetic Resources Handbook
Publication
 
Author
Vaughan D.A.
Website
http://irri.org/
Publisher
International Rice Research Institute; Philippines
Year
1994
ISBN
971-22-0057-4
Description
An excellent guide to the wild species of the genus Oryza. It gives good descriptions of the species, habitats etc and often gives details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Oryza glaberrima
Harvesting the grain
Photograph by: Olivierkeita
Creative Commons License
Oryza glaberrima Oryza glaberrima

General Information

Oryza glaberrima is a very variable, robust, annual grass with erect, stout culms usually growing up to 120cm tall but with some floating types up to 5 metres tall[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
1040
Title
The Wild Relatives of Rice, A Genetic Resources Handbook
Publication
 
Author
Vaughan D.A.
Website
http://irri.org/
Publisher
International Rice Research Institute; Philippines
Year
1994
ISBN
971-22-0057-4
Description
An excellent guide to the wild species of the genus Oryza. It gives good descriptions of the species, habitats etc and often gives details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].
The edible seed is gathered from the wild for local use. Although less popular than Asian rice (Oryza sativa), this species is also cultivated, especially in west Africa, for its seed[
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/
]. It is traded locally[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Central African Republic and DR Congo.

Habitat

Swampy and wet sites[
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/
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
HabitAnnual
Height1.20 m
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from near sea level to over 1,700 metres[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 32°c, but can tolerate 16 - 38°c[
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.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 700 - 2,700mm[
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.
].
Requires a sunny position. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 4.3 - 9[
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.
].
African rice is considered hardier than the more commonly cultivated rice, O. Sativa[
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.
].
Yields of 0.7 - 1.0 t/ha can be obtained[
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.
].
The species shows immense diversity, and some 1,500 varietal cultivars are known[
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/
].
The species was probably derived from Oryza barthii, which grew wild and was extensively harvested in the Sahara region when it was much moister, up to about 1,500 BC. With the climate becoming drier, many people moved south, taking their seeds with them and this species became extensively cultivated, flourishing until the Sixteenth century when Asian rice cultivars reached W Africa[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
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/
]. It is now grown on less than 20% of the land devoted to rice culture[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
A curious parallel with Asian rice (Oryza sativa) is to be found in the diversity of this plant, with cultivars adapted to hill (dry), swamp, flood and floating conditions. Some will grow in water to 250cm deep and withstand immersion for 3 - 4 days, and produce culms 4 - 5 metres long[
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/
].
As with the other rices indigenous to Africa, the grain tends to shatter, thus requiring reaping of the entire panicle before final maturity. Asian rice strains do not suffer this defect[
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/
].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. A staple food, highly appreciated for its taste and culinary qualities[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The seed is historically preserved for religious ceremonies and as a luxury food for chiefs[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

The root is eaten raw as a treatment for diarrhoea[
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/
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - germinates within 4 - 5 days from sowing[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Seed. The seed of wild rice less than 12 months old often exhibits strong dormancy, which implies (though this has not been established) that the seed retains its viability for a considerable period[
1040
Title
The Wild Relatives of Rice, A Genetic Resources Handbook
Publication
 
Author
Vaughan D.A.
Website
http://irri.org/
Publisher
International Rice Research Institute; Philippines
Year
1994
ISBN
971-22-0057-4
Description
An excellent guide to the wild species of the genus Oryza. It gives good descriptions of the species, habitats etc and often gives details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].
Heat treatment is generally effective in breaking dormancy - alternating temperatures between 34°c for 16 hours then 11°c for 8 hours is usually effective, though the time taken varies between species[
1040
Title
The Wild Relatives of Rice, A Genetic Resources Handbook
Publication
 
Author
Vaughan D.A.
Website
http://irri.org/
Publisher
International Rice Research Institute; Philippines
Year
1994
ISBN
971-22-0057-4
Description
An excellent guide to the wild species of the genus Oryza. It gives good descriptions of the species, habitats etc and often gives details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].
Surface sow the seed in light shade and do not allow to dry out. Seed should germinate within 7 days at 30°c[
1040
Title
The Wild Relatives of Rice, A Genetic Resources Handbook
Publication
 
Author
Vaughan D.A.
Website
http://irri.org/
Publisher
International Rice Research Institute; Philippines
Year
1994
ISBN
971-22-0057-4
Description
An excellent guide to the wild species of the genus Oryza. It gives good descriptions of the species, habitats etc and often gives details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet
]. Prick out 2 - 3 seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and, after a few days, move to a sunny position. Grow on until large enough to plant out.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-01. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Oryza+glaberrima>

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