Common Name:

General Information

Panicum kalaharense is a robust, clump-forming perennial grass with short rhizomes; the culms can be 100 - 200cm tall[].
The seed is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, S. Africa.

Habitat

Locally common in grassland and savannah habitats on sandy soils; also found in disturbed locations such as roadsides; at elevations from 500 - 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations of 500 - 1,200 metres. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 300 - 600mm[].
Established plants are drought resistant[]. Found in the wild on sandy soils[].
This species photosynthesizes by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions[].

Edible Uses

Seed - eaten as a cereal[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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