Crowfoot Grass

حلفا

• COMMON NAME:crowfoot grass, halfa grass.

• ARABIC:حلفا

• BOTANICAL NAME:Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf

• SYNONYMS:Briza bipinnata L., Eragrostis bipinnata (L.) K.Schum., Leptochloa bipinnata (L.) Hochst., Megastachya bipinnata (L.) P.Beauv.

• FAMILY:POACEAE

• KIND:Native

• EMIRATE:Sharjah

• GROWTH FORMS:Herbs

• HABITATS:Sandy

• TYPES:Perennial

• REMARKS:Rare, recorded once from Kalba by A.R.Western.

DESCRIPTION:

Perennial, robust with thick scaly rhizomes. Stems erect up to 100(-120) cm. Leaves flat or folded, in compact basal rosette, 0.7*60 cm, with fine teeth along edges and pointed tip. Inflorescence a cylindrical flattened spike. with dense clusters of spikelets spaced on 80 cm stem. Spikelets in 2 rows, with 3-18 florets, 0.3*2 cm.

REFERENCES:

M.V.D jongbloed, G.R. Fuelner, B. Boer, A.R. Western. the comprehensive guide to the wild flowers of the United Arab Emirates. Environmental research and wildlife Development agency, Abu Dhabi, 2003. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:398084-1/images