DABCHICK WILDLIFE RESERVE AND CONSERVANCY

GRASS CHECKLIST

PG NAME COMMON NAME PALATABLITY GRAZING ECOLOGICAL ECOLOGICAL COMMENTS SEEN

** BOTANICAL ENGLISH AFRIKAANS VALUE STATUS SUCCESSION Y/N
48 Andropogon eucomus Snowflake grass Kleinwitbaardgras Unpalatable Low 3 Increaser Subclimax Vleis/poor drainage Y
50 Themida triandra Red grass Rooigras Palatable High Decreaser Climax Indicator of good veld Y
52 Cymbopogon excavatus Broad-leaved Turpentine grass Breeblaarterpentyngras Unpalatable Low 1 Increaser Climax Contains d-limonene Y
56 Hyparrhenia hirta Common Thatching grass Dekgras Early palatable Average 1 Increaser Climax Good for thatching Y
57 Hyparrhenia filipendula Fine Thatching grass Early palatable Average 1 Increaser Climax Good for thatching
59 Hyparrhenia dissoluta Yellow Thatching grass Geeltamboekiegras Early palatable Average 1 Increaser Climax Difficult to control Y
65 Urelytrum Quinine grass Varkstertgras Unpalatable Low 1 Increaser Climax Shady stoney slopes
66 Heteropogon contortus Spear grass Assegaaigras Early palatable Average 2 Increaser Subclimax Zebra & waterbuck Y
79 Elionurus muticus Wire grass Koperdraad Unpalatable Low 3 Increaser Climax Increases thru' fire Y
80 Tragus bertoronianus Carrot-seed grass Gewone Wortelsaadgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Indictates overgrazing Y
81 Anthephora pubescens Wool grass Borseltjiegras Palatable High Decreaser Climax Good hay
82 Perotis patens Cat's Tail grass Katstertgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Indicates poor veld management Y
84 Fingerhuthia africana Thimble grass Vingerhoed gras Palatable Average Decreaser Subclimax Low leaf production
90 Setaria sphacelata var sphacelata Common Bristle grass Gewone Mannagras Palatable high Decreaser Climax Good hay Y
97 Aristida congesta var congesta Tassel three-awn Katstertsteekgras Early palatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Indicates poor veld management Y
98 Sporobolus africanus Ratstail Dropseed Taaipol Unpalatable Low 3 Increaser Subclimax Indicates trampled soil Y
99 Imperata cylindrica Cottonwool grass Donsgrass Unpalatable Low 1 Increaser Pioneer Used by reedbuck & thatching Y
104 Setaria verticillata Bur Bristle grass Klitsgras Palatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Disturbed ground
122 Aristida stipitata Long-awned grass Langnaaldsteekgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Indicates overgrazing Y
127 Eragrostis superba Saw-tooth Love grass Weeluisgras Palatable Average 2 Increaser Subclimax Ostriches like seeds Y
130 Melinis nerviglumis Bristle-leaved Red Top Steekblaar-rooipluim Palatable Average 1 Increaser Climax
140 Eragrostis trichphora Hairy Love grass Harige-pluimgras Palatable Average 2 Increaser Subclimax Preferred by goats Y
143 Eragrostis gummiflua Gum grass Gomgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Subclimax Makes good brooms Y
148 Tricholaena monachne Blue-seed grass Blousaadgras Palatable Average 2 Increaser Subclimax Indicates poor veld management Y
149 Melinis repens Natal Red Top Natal-rooipluim Palatable Average 2 Increaser Pioneer Old lands Y
160 Eragrostis lehmanniana Lehman's Love grass Knietjiesgras Palatable Average 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground Y
161 Stipagrostis hirtigluma Blue Bushman grass Bloutwa Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Disturbed ground Y
168 Avena fatua Common Wild Oats Gewone Wildehawer Palatable High Exotic invader Pioneer Disturbed ground Y
174 Sorghum bicolor Common Wild Sorghum Gewone Wildesorghum Palatable Average Pioneer Wet disturbed ground
 PG NAME COMMON NAME PALATABLITY GRAZING ECOLOGICAL ECOLOGICAL COMMENTS SEEN
BOTANICAL ENGLISH AFRIKAANS VALUE STATUS SUCCESSION Y/N
179 Panicum maximum Guinea grass Gewone Buffelsgras Highly palatable Very high Decreaser Climax Prefers shade Y
187 Aristida congesta var barbicollis Spreading Three-awn Lossteekgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Indicates poor veld management Y
188 Bothriochloa bladhii Purple Plume grass Persklossiegras Unpalatable Low 1 Increaser Climax Vleis/poor drainage
192 Setaria lindenbergiana Mountain Bristle grass Randtjiesgras Palatable Average Decreaser Climax Rocky ridges in shade
194 Eragrostis plana Tough Love grass Taaipol-eragrostis Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground
201 Pogonarthria sqarrosa Herringbone grass Sekelgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground Y
207 Echinochloa colona Jungle rice Waergras Palatable High 2 Increaser Pioneer Vleis/poor drainage
211 Trichoneura grandiglumis Small Rolling grass Kleinrolgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground Y
213 Brewsia biflora False Love grass Unpalatable Low Climax Open grassland
216 Eleusine coracana Goose grass Osgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Pioneer Most common weed in SA
218 Bothriochloa insculpta Pinhole grass Stippelgras Unpalatable Low 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground Y
226 Digitaria eriantha Common Finger grass Vingergras/Smutsvinger Highly palatable High Decreaser Climax Undisturbed veld Y
229 Cynodon dactylon Couch grass kweekgras Palatable High 2 Increaser Pioneer Disturbed ground Y
231 Chloris virgata Feather-top Chloris Witpluim-chloris Palatable Average 2 Increaser Pioneer Disturbed ground Y
234 Eustachys paspaloides Brown Rhodes gras Bruinhoenderspoor Highly palatable Average Decreaser Climax Undisturbed veld Y
240 Diheteropogon amplectens Broad-leaved Bluestem Breeblaarblougras Palatable Average Decreaser Climax Open bushveld
249 Urochloa mosambicensis Bushveld Signal grass Bosveldbeesgras Highly palatable High 2 Increaser Subclimax Disturbed ground
252 Brachiaria nigropedata Black-footed Signal grass Swartvoetjiesgras Highly palatable High Decreaser Climax Undisturbed veld

NOTE: Decreaser: Decreases with over or undergrazing

1 Increaser: Abundant in underutilized veld - usually unpalatable and robust climax grasses. E.g. Thatch grasses
2 increaser: Abundant in overgrazed veld - usually pioneers in lower rainfall areas. E.g. Natal red-top, Saw-tooth Love grass
3 increaser: Abundant in overgrazed veld - usually unpalatable dense climax grasses in higher rainfall areaE.g. Rats-taildropseed, Snowflake grass & Wire grass

** REFERENCE BOOK No.: Guide to the Grasses of Southern Africa, Eben van Wyk & Frits van Outshoorn, Briza Publications, 1999.