Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retzius) Trinius
Family
Graminea
Synonyms
Andropogon aciculatus Retzius.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Temuchut, kemuchut, kemunchup. |
| English | Love grass. |
| Indonesia | Salohot (Batak), jukut domdoman (Sundanese). |
| Philippines | Marisekos (Tagalog), amorseko (Visaya), pangrot (Bikol). |
| Cambodia | Smau kântraëy. |
| Thailand | Ya-chaochu, ya-khikhrok (Central), ya-khitroei (South). |
| Vietnam | Co’may, co’bông. |
| Spanish | Amorseco. |
Geographical Distributions
Chrysopogon aciculatus is originated from tropical Asia, Australia and Polynesia and very abundant in all Southeast Asia countries. It has been introduced to other parts of the tropics, e.g. West and Central Africa.
Description
C. aciculatus is a perennial, spreading, stoloniferous and mat-forming grass. The culms are solid, hairless, erect or creeping, measure up to 75 cm tall and often branching. It roots at all nodes when creeping.
The leaf-sheath is hairless and often pierced by roots. The ligule is membranous, truncate and very short. The leaves are 2-20 cm x 4-8 mm. The leaf-blades are on creeping culms that are ovate-lance-shaped, short and pressed flat against soil. The leaf-blades on flowering culms are more linear.
The inflorescence is a rigidly erect panicle, measures 5-12 cm long and composed of several whorls of short reddish branches which gradually spread horizontally when ripen. Each branch bears at its end a group of 3 spikelets where each group is with 1 bisexual sessile and 2 male or neuter pedicelled spikelets. The sessile spikelet at the base is a pointed callus, measures 4-6 mm long and bearded with short yellowish-brown hairs on one side and at the top of awn which is 2-8 mm long.
The caryopsis is 2-3 mm long and yellowish-brown.
Ecology / Cultivation
C. aciculatus can grow from sea level to 1500 m altitudes. It is adapted to moderately dry to humid environments and to sandy loamy soils of pH 5-6. It is frequently found in overgrazed areas resisting trampling. It cannot withstand prolonged dry periods. It is a vigourous coloniser of denuded ground and tends to dominate with regular burning.
Line Drawing / Photograph
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References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 4: Forages.
