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Stenotaphrum secundatum

Authority(Walt.) O. Kuntze
Family
Synonyms
Common namesbuffalo grass, buffalo turf grass, strand-buffelsgras
Editor
Ecocrop code2012



Notes
DESCRIPTION: A hardy grass, ascendant or creeping extensively by means of branched rhizomes. Culms rising 6-40 cm in height, much branched from numerous nodes, the branches trailing, producing flowering stems or fin-shaped tufts of leaves. USE: Natural swards, turf, erosion control, silage, pasture or soil conservation groundcover under trees, or near the sea exposed to salt spray.. KILLING T: It survives frost. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial, growing spring, summer and autumn. It may take 150-180 to form a complete ground cover. COMMON NAMES: St. Augustine grass. FURTHER INF: It can be found at elevations between sea level and 800 m, but it is primarily a coastal pioneer. Occurs in areas with annual rainfall from 750 mm to more than 2000 mm and grow best at temperatures between 20-30°C, a minimum of 10ºC. While moderately drought tolerant, it prefers good moisture, and can withstand temporary flooding and waterlogging. It is quite shade tolerant maintaining yields down to 40% sunlight. It is commonly found in moist swampy soils near the sea-shore in the United States and southern Africa. Occurs on well or poorly drained soils, from sandy loams to light clays but is also well adapted to steep sandy soils. Found in infertile to moderately fertile soils with pH from 5.0-8.5. Has good tolerance of soil salinity (to 15 dS/cm) and of wind-borne salt from the sea. Dry matter yields may be 2-6 t/ha.
Sources
Grassland Index
Skerman P 1990 pp 711-713 [DRA, USE, KTMP, TEXT, PH, SAL, FER, LIG]
Rehm S 1991 pp 415 [USE]
Duke J 1975 pp 28 [PH, RAIN, TEMP]
Duke J 1979 pp 96 [PH, RAIN, TEMP]
Bogdan A 1977 pp 284-285 [RAIN, FER, DEP, DRA, SAL]
Aronson J 1989 pp 70
Roecklein J 1987 pp 374 [USE, DRA, TEXT]
Mannetje L 1992 pp 208-209 [KTMP, FER, TEXT, PH, DRA, SAL, DEP, LIG]
Tropical forages 2005