Dactyloctenium australe

Dactyloctenium australe

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Common Names

Natal Crowfoot, Durban Grass, LM Grass, Berea Grass (english)Natal-Hoenderspoor, Natalkweek (afrikaans)

Taxonomy

Family POACEAE
Genus Dactyloctenium
Species australe
SA Plant Number
Basionym Dactyloctenium australe

Description

Dactyloctenium australe is a hardy, evergreen, creeping, mat-forming grass that spreads by means of stolons. It is the most popular lawn grass in South Africa. The light green leaves mat well, resulting in this grass forming a good, dense lawn.

This grass gets its common name from the digitate inflorescence that resembles the upturned foot of a bird. Suitable as a stabilizer of sand and is palatable to game and livestock. Host plant of the Squinting Bush Brown butterfly.

It can be grown in semi-shade or full sun, on a wide variety of soil types.

Size: 30cm up to 50cm

Wildlife

Butterfly Host Plant: Host to the Squinting Bush Brown butterfly larvae

Uses

Soil stabiliser: A good sandy soil stabiliser in many different areas.

Landscaping: Popular indigenous lawn grass. Can be used effectively to create textural difference around trees, where it can be left to flower (not mowed) and will do well in the semi-shade.

Distribution

Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga

Natural Habitat Forest margin, Grassland, Medium to low altitudes, in mixed woodland and bushveld, sandy soil under trees, Valley Bushveld

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