Love grass

Eragrostis ciliaris

Native

A loosely clumping annual or short-lived perennial grass, growing up to 60cm tall, at home in pure coastal sand as easily as disturbed farmland.

The plant

Habit Shrub, Herb

Origin Native

Flowering Monsoon, Winter, Summer

Edible Yes

Growing it

Soil Sandy

Started from Seed

Life it supports

No specific wildlife-relationship data recorded for this species.

How to grow it

Sow in situ, only just covering the seed.
Germination is usually quick and reliable.

The story

No cultural-significance data recorded for this species.

What it is used for

Seed is eaten as a cereal and has good nutritional value, though it's small and fiddly to work with, so it's mostly used as a famine food.
The whole plant, or its flowering/seed heads, is burned to ash and applied to cuts and burns to clean and promote healing; mixed with castor oil, the ash also treats whitlows (painful finger infections).
An infusion of the plant treats stomach pain.

These uses are documented for information only and are not medical advice. Always verify the species and the plant part before use.

Where it is found

Tropical and subtropical Africa, through the Indian Ocean and Arabia to East Asia, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines, in grassland, dunes, and disturbed ground up to 1,400m.

Sources

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