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Heteropogon contortus

Authority (L.) Beauv. ex Roemer & Schultes Family Liliopsida:Commelinidae:Cyperales:Gramineae Synonyms Andropogon contortus Common names assegaaigras, pylgras, spear grass, tanglehead Editor Ecocrop code 1210

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A grass with erect culms up to 75 cm high, branching above. USES Used as a summer fodder grass or pasture, it is palatable in the early vegetative stages, but unattractive as it matures. Can be used for hay and silage. Also used for erosion control on up to 20° sloping areas. KILLING T Frost tolerant. GROWING PERIOD Perennial grass mainly growing in the summer. COMMON NAMES Black spear grass, Bunch spear grass, Speargrass, Tangle head, Pili grass, Assegai grass, Spear grass, Herbe polisson, Bejeng-bejeng, Merakan, Sibat-sibatan, Ya-nuatrusi, Ya-lem. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: Andropogon contortus. In the Himalayan, black spear grass can be found at elevations between sea level and 2000 m, in Hawaii between sea level and 300 m. In Queensland, it occurs mainly between latitudes 19 and 27°S. It is common in open forest and woodland and in grassland. It withstand fire but does not tolerate flooding. Dry matter yields may be between 0.5-8 t/ha.
Sources
Grassland Index Skerman P 1990 pp 446-449 [TEMP, DRA, TEXT, PH, SAL, FER] Bogdan A 1977 pp 150-152 [TEMP, PHO, RAIN] Ibrahim K 1987 pp 173 Mannetje L 1992 pp 137-139 [DRA, SAL, RAIN, TEXT] Voortman R (pers. comm.)