SafePlants

Acroceras: A Tropical Grass Genus

Acroceras is a genus of grasses found in warmer regions across the globe. Here's what we know about this interesting group of plants:

Considerations for Pets

• Some species, like Acroceras macrum, are cultivated as pasture, silage, and hay.
• Acroceras species can have creeping rhizomes.

Scientific Name and Common Names

• Scientific Name: Acroceras Stapf
• Common Names: Nile grass, Nyl grass
• Other common names for Acroceras macrum include nylgras, nile vlei grass, nylvleigras, nilgras, swamp rye grass, lidjiegras, and varkgra.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
• Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
• Synonyms: Neohusnotia A. Camus. Acroceras crassiapiculatum (Merr.) Alston is a synonym for Acroceras munroanum.
• Examples of species nomenclature: Acroceras zizanioides (Kunth) Dandy

Distribution and Habitat

• The genus is widespread across warmer parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
• Acroceras zizanioides is distributed in Africa, tropical Asia, and southern regions.

Ecological Role

• Acroceras zizanioides can be found in lowland savanna of west Africa.

Morphological Characteristics

• Habit: Perennial grasses
• Growth Habit: Stolons present, culms decumbent, prostrate or rambling, rooting from lower nodes. Some species exhibit creeping rhizomes.
• Acroceras zizanioides: Culms decumbent (from a prostrate base) 30-100 cm long, 1-2.5 mm in diameter, with 10-20 nodes, rooting from lower nodes.
• Erect to prostrate perennial, with creeping solid, fibrous rhizomes and hollow stolons, 2.5-4 mm in diameter culms hollow, usually erect, sparingly branched

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Acroceras macrum is a palatable and nutritious species which was popular as a pasture grass in South Africa.

Further Information

• World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Published by The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• USDA-NRCS, National Plant Data Center.