Common Name: Silky kangaroo grass

General Information

Themeda villosa is a perennial, clump-forming grass with culms around 150 - 350cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is occasionally planted as an ornamental, but because it is fertile, it may spread and become weedy[].
The plant has been known to escape from cultivation and become established outside its native range[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Nepal and southern China, through southeast Asia to New Guinea

Habitat

Sunny roadsides, sandbanks, river banks, grass jungles, abandoned fields, sometimes dominant, Eucalypt savannah; at elevations up to 1,700 metres[]

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Young shoots produce a sweet vegetable[1858.

Medicinal

The young shoots are used against cough[].

The marrow of young stems is used to prevent infection of fresh ear holes[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The clumps are used as living hedges[].

Other Uses

The internode of the stem weres formerly used as shafts for dip pens[].

The leaves are used for roofing[].

The ash of the plant is used as fertiliser[].

Propagation

Seed -

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