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Centropodia glauca

Scientific Name: Centropodia glauca

Family: Poaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Centropodia glauca: An Overview

Centropodia glauca, also known as Gha grass, is a perennial grass found in arid regions of Africa and Asia.

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant is a grass species. Grasses can occasionally cause digestive upset in pets if ingested in large quantities.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Centropodia glauca (Nees) T.A. Cope
  • Family: Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)
  • Subfamily: Chloridoideae
  • Basionym: Danthonia glauca Nees
  • Synonyms:
    • Asthenatherum forskahlei Auctt.
    • Asthenatherum glaucum (Nees) Nevski
  • Nomen Number: 408479

Distribution and Habitat

  • Centropodia glauca is native to Africa (Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and Asia.
  • It thrives in semi-desert grassland environments where annual rainfall is between 100 and 200 mm.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Habit: Perennial
  • Rootstock: Evident
  • Cataphylls: Evident
  • Rhizomes: Elongated
  • Culms: Decumbent, 15-60 cm long, with solid internodes
  • Size: Robust, densely caespitose perennial up to 75 cm tall
  • Leaves: Flat or involute lamina, 2-12

Ecological Role

  • Centropodia glauca is a dominant grass species in semi-desert grasslands.
  • It serves as an indicator of grazing intensity.

Genetic Information

  • The chromosome number for Centropodia glauca is 2n = 48.
  • A specific tRNA (trnR-UCU) has been identified in Centropodia glauca, with the alias AZ394_gt013 and Cegl_t16. It is located on the plastid genome at position NC_029411.1 (36980..37051, complement).

Associations

  • This grass is often found alongside other species such as Eragrostis lehmanniana, Schmidtia kalahariensis, and Stipagrostis amabilis.

Further Information

  • Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
  • GrassBase: http://www.kew.org/data/grasses-db/www/imp02065.htm
  • Namibia Biodiversity Database Web Site
  • The Plant List
  • IPNI (International Plant Names Index)
  • Australian Plant Name Index
  • NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Virtual Herbarium