| DESCRIPTION: It is a rhizomatous and tufted grass reaching 30-90 cm in height. Leaf blades are up to 13 cm long and 0.1-0.5 cm wide, and are curled when dry. Culms branch freely. Inflorescence 10-30 cm long. Forming dense stands when grazed. USE: It is probably the best grazing grass in its area of distribution, but is easily overgrazed due to its high palatability. Particularly valuable for sheep. It has already disappeared in many parts of its former area of distribution. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Robies Cocksfoot. FURTHER INF: It can be found in mountainous regions of South Africa and Pakistan. Its habitat is high altitude grassland in open habitats, riverbanks, rocky outcrops or mountain slopes. Found in with low to moderate rainfall (300-700 mm per annum) and a temperate climate. Occurs at altitudes higher than 1200 m. Requires a loose soil and is most successful in sandy, gravely and stony places. Cultivated on a small scale in South Africa. It has the C4 photosynthetic pathway. |