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Useful Tropical Plants

Themeda triandra

Forssk.

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Andropogon ciliatus Thunb.

Andropogon tenuipedicellatus Steud.

Anthistiria argentea Nees

Anthistiria australis R.Br.

Anthistiria barbata Desf.

Anthistiria brachyantha Boiss.

Anthistiria caespitosa Andersson

Anthistiria ciliata Cav. ex Spreng.

Anthistiria cuspidata Andersson

Anthistiria depauperata Andersson

Anthistiria desfontainii Kunth

Anthistiria forskalii Kunth

Anthistiria glauca Desf.

Anthistiria imberbis Retz.

Anthistiria japonica Willd.

Anthistiria paleacea (Vahl) Ball

Anthistiria polystachya Roxb.

Anthistiria puberula Andersson

Anthistiria punctata Hochst. ex A.Rich.

Anthistiria subglabra Buse

Anthistiria syriaca Boiss.

Anthistiria vulgaris Hack.

Apluda imberbis Steud.

Calamina imberbis (Retz.) Roem. & Schult.

Stipa paleacea Poir.

Themeda australis (R.Br.) Stapf

Themeda barbata (Desf.) Veldkamp

Themeda barbinodis B.S. Sun & S. Wang

Themeda brachyantha (Boiss.) Trab.

Themeda forskalii (Kunth) Hack.

Themeda glauca Trab.

Themeda imberbis (Retz.) T.Cooke

Themeda japonica (Willd.) Tanaka

Themeda polygama J.F.Gmel.

Common Name: Kangaroo Grass

Themeda triandra
Flowering plants
Photograph by: Bernard DUPONT
Creative Commons License
Themeda triandra Themeda triandra Themeda triandra Themeda triandra Themeda triandra Themeda triandra

General Information

Themeda triandra is a slow-growing, usually clump-forming, perennial grass with erect culms from 30 - 200cm tall332,
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.
,
1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a thatch and medicine. The seed is eaten in times of famine. Because of the various colours of the leaves, some cultivars are used as ornamentals[
1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental, and has been known to escape from cultivation and become established[
1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

Wilted culms contain hydrocyanic acid and are a danger to livestock[
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/
].
Sheep farmers in southern Africa find the seed a nuisance as it becomes entangled in sheep’s fleece, causing serious injury known as 'traumatic purulent dermatitis'[
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/
].

Botanical References

1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

Widespread from Africa, through Asia to the Philippines and Australia.

Habitat

Dominant in the extensive Acacia-grasslands at elevations from 1,200 - 2,000 metres in East Africa, and widespread elsewhere in grassland and in open woodlands, especially on clay soils, at elevations from sea level to over 3,000 metres[
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.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height1.50 m
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A very adaptable plant, found in a wide range of climates from continental temperate (where it grows as an annual), through subtropical to tropical, being found at elevations from near sea level to over 3,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime annual temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, though it can tolerate 15 - 35°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 500 - 1,100mm, but can tolerate 450 - 6,250mm[
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.
].
Prefers a sunny position[
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.
]. Succeeds in a wide range of soil types, but dislikes heavy clays[
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.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[
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.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant[
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.
].
Plants are fairly tolerant of fires, usually regrowing from the base if the top growth is burned down[
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.
,
1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
A polymorphic species[
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[
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.
,
1858
Title
A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos
Publication
Blumea 61, 2016: 29-40
Author
Veldkamp J.F.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651916X691349
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. Small and fiddly, it is basically a food for times when better foods are not available[
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.
,
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/
].

Medicinal

A decoction of the roots is drunk as a treatment for dysmenorrhoea[
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/
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The presence of this grass is considered in S Africa to be an indication of the suitability of the land for growing pineapples[
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

The culms are used in Uganda for hut-building[
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/
]. Ubiquitously they serve as thatch, but in Lesotho the quality is said to be poor and not lasting[
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 culms are suitable for producing paper-pulp[
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/
].

Propagation

Seed - there is some after-ripening dormancy and it takes approximately 12 months storage before the full germination potential of the seed is realized[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
]. Dormancy results from a combination of embryo dormancy and mechanically resistant glumes. Successful germination of the spikelets entails the splitting of the tough upper glumes by radicles. Glume removal, plus treatment with gibberellic acid increases germination rates and reduces germination time[
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Themeda+triandra>

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