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Hemarthria altissima

Authority (Poir.) Stapf & C.E. Hubb. Family Liliopsida:Commelinidae:Cyperales:Gramineae Synonyms Common names Editor Ecocrop code 1203

Notes
DESCRIPTION: A grass with 30-150 cm high, compressed, culms , decumbent at first, but later ascending, rooting from the lower nodes, often branched, with green, smooth, glabrous, 5-15 (-20) cm long and up to 6 mm wide, usually folded leaf-blades, and with a creeping, branched rhizome. Inflorescence comprising single spike 5-12 cm long. USES: Highly palatable, used as pasture, withstanding heavy grazing, fodder and can also be used for silage. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial grass growing from early spring to late autumn. COMMON NAMES: Limpo grass, Red vlei grass, Rooik week, Swamp couch, Halt grass. FURTHER INF: It is native of tropical Africa. Occurs over a wide latitudinal range from about 40ºN to 34ºS, and from near sea level to 2000 m. It is common in flooded areas, swamps and lakes. It will not tolerate fire but can withstand short, seasonal dry periods, but does not tolerate long droughts. Grows in soils of any texture, providing moisture is adequate. It tolerates acid soils down to pH 4.5, but is best between 5.5 and 6.5. Heavy frosts (-13°C) can kill some plants, with some differences among cultivars in winter-hardiness. Some genotypes can survive temperatures as low as -18°C.
Sources
Grassland Index Skerman P 1990 pp 443-445 [DRA, TEMP, RAIN, PH, FER, LIMIT] Duke J 1979 pp 95 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Heath M 1985 pp 263-265 [DRA, TEXT, PH, RAIN] Roecklein J 1987 pp 165 [USE] Tropical forages 2005