Pennisetum pedicellatum Trien. Mem.

Sanjeet Kumar

Pennisetum pedicellatum Trien. Mem.

Common name: “Girnar”

Botanical name: Pennisetum pedicellatum Trien. Mem

Family: Poaceae

Vernacular name(s)                                                  Taxonomic classification

English: Deenanath grass                                               Kingdom: Plantae

Nigeria: Kyasuwa                                                         Division: Magnoliophyta

Mauritania: Bare                                                           Order: Cyperales

                                                                                    Family: Poaceae

                                                                                    Genus: Pennisetum

                                                                                    Species: pedicellatum

Botany of Pennisetum pedicellatum Trien. Mem.

It is a tall, annual, bunch grass, up to 1.3 m high, branched from the base and and often fastigiately branched above. Leaves linear, acuminate, rounded at base, sparsely hairy or glabrous; sheaths glabrous or sparsely hairy. Spikes cylindric, dense, pink or purple. Spikelets solitary and pedicelled or in groups of 2-6. lower glume very small, oblong. Lower lemma long, truncate, often 3-toothed and with minute bristles or cilia at the tip. Upper floret readily disarticulating; upper lemma broadly lanceolate. Anthers not penicillate.

Distribution

Utter pradesh, west bengal; madhya Pradesh; Tamil nadu; Rajesthan; Maharashtra; west Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameron, Zambia.

Medicinal Value(s)

Fruits are used to cure abdominal pain, Juice of unripe fruit is used in coughs, Bark is used in arthritis and leaves have amphetamine activity.

Chemical Compound(s)

The plant parts have good quantity of Tannins and alkaloids.

Common Use(s)

·         In India, it is a valuable grazing grass for sheep.

·         It is very good as a short-term ley and soil stabilizer.

·         A good fodder grass for horses.

·         In Gambia used to make domestic Mats.

·         Help to soil formation on coal spoil heaps.

·         Mature plant is well supplement of protein in order to sustain growth or milk production.