Brachiaria comata
(Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf
MBG
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Cereal
The seeds are used as a cereal and is also recorded as a famine food.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It grows in deciduous bush-land in west Africa. It grows in dry sandy soil. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall above 500 mm. It grows between 600-2,000 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Middle East, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen,
How to Identify
An annual grass. It forms loose tufts. It grows 60 cm high. It can lie along the ground or form mats. The leaves are rough and have teeth along the edge.
Other Information
It is a famine food.
Names & Synonyms
Omafe, Saba kushu
References (4)
- Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2. Kew.
- Dalziel, 1937,
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 8th May 2011]
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (As Urochloa comata)
