code: 551
In the wild it occurs down the east coast of Africa from the Red Sea to the Transvaal
Family: Cynodonteae
Common name: Giant star grass, Ethiopian dog’s tooth grass, Nakuru grass
Plant Classification: Half hardy perennial
Minimum Height: 40 cm
Maximum Height: 1.0 meter
This perennial, mat forming grass makes a solid sward of low green leaves above which arise heads consisting of five radially aranged purple stems, rather resembling birds a foot. In the wild it occurs down the east coast of Africa from the Red Sea to the Transvaal, and most densely at the Uganda-Zaire border.
Sowing advice:
Sow at any time, in a well-lit position, into a good, soil-based compost. Cover seeds thinly and keep moist at around 15 degrees C or 60 degrees F. Some New Zealand species can be very slow indeed and may need cooler temperatures before they will come up. Grass seedlings should be potted on and grown on singly, or in clumps for more rapid establishment of a large specimen.
Notes:
The speoies is recognized by its multiple whorls of stiff pigmented racemes, and by the very robust culms which are often so hard and woody that they rattle in the wind. It is fairly well isolated genetically, crossing reluctantly with C. dactylon and C. nlemfuensis. There are two ploidy levels (2n = 18 & 36), which cannot be distinguished morphologically.
