Saccharum ravennae
Saccharum ravennae, with the common names ravennagrass[2] and elephant grass, and known locally as ekra or ikora (ইকঁৰা) in Assamese, is a species of grass in the sugarcane genus Saccharum. It is native to southern Europe, western Asia and South Asia and is known in North America as an introduced species, where it is sometimes an invasive and troublesome noxious weed.
Saccharum ravennae Ravennagrass | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Subfamily: | Panicoideae |
Genus: | Saccharum |
Species: | S. ravennae |
Binomial name | |
Saccharum ravennae | |
Synonyms | |
Erianthus ravennae, Erianthus elephantinus[1] |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saccharum ravennae. |
Uses
Ravennagrass is a large, aggressive grass that has been sold in nurseries for use as an ornamental grass in gardens, and for stabilizing soil to prevent erosion. It is sold under the name "hardy pampas grass."
Invasive species
Saccharum ravennae is now established as an invasive species in several parts of North America, including Glen Canyon National Recreation Area[3] in Utah, the Rio Grande Valley State Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[4] and parts of California.[5] It grows in the moist soil of riparian habitats including marshes and riverbanks.
This perennial grass grows in large, dense clumps from a network of rhizomes. It produces erect stems which can reach 13 ft (4m) in height. The serrated leaves are up to a meter long. The inflorescence is a plume-like panicle of spikelets covered in white or pale-colored silky hairs.
References
- fr:Saccharum ravennae
- "Saccharum ravennae". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
- National Park Service: Glen Canyon
- McKenna, Chad; Caplan, Todd (June 30, 2016). "City of Albuquerque Bosque Management Plan: Central Avenue to Campbell Road" (PDF). GeoSystems Analysis.
- California Invasive Plant Council
External links
- Grass Manual Treatment of Saccharum ravennae
- Jepson Manual Treatment — invasive plant species.