Megathyrsus maximus, known as Guinea grass and green panic grass,[ is a large perennial bunch grass that is native to Africa and Yemen. It has been introduced in the tropics Pantropical. It has previously been called Urochloa maxima and Panicum maximum. It was moved to the genus Megathyrsus in 2003.][ Megathyrsus. Grass Manual. Flora of North America.]
Description
Megathyrsus maximus grows naturally in open , usually under or near and and Riparian zone. It can withstand wildfire and drought. The species has broad morphological and agronomic variability, ranging in height from , with stems. The polyploid plant also can reproduce through apomixis, effectively cloning itself through seed.
Uses
It can be used as a long-term foraging grass if Grazing consistently and if fertilized. It is well suited for cut-and-carry, a practice in which grass is harvested and brought to a ruminant animal in an enclosed system. Shade tolerance makes it suited to coexisting with trees in agroforestry. Some varieties have been used successfully for making silage and hay. The leaves contain good levels of protein (6–25% depending on age and nitrogen supply).
Invasive species
In some places, such as South Texas, Sri Lanka[Dhanesh Wisumperuma, “ First known record of guinea grass cultivation in Sri Lanka, 1801-1802”, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka 53, 2007: 219-22.] and Hawai'i,
In the Australian state of Queensland, the Queensland Acclimatisation Society introduced Guinea grass to 22 locations between 1865 and 1869.[Clements, R. J. and E. F. Henzell. (2010). Pasture research and development in northern Australia: an ongoing scientific adventure. Tropical Grasslands 44, 221–30.]
See also
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