Family: Poaceae
Author: (L.) R.Br.
Bibliography: J.H.Tuckey, Narr. Exped. Zaire: 478 (1818)
Year: 1818
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Eragrostis
Vegetable: False
Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. Old World
Description
Gophertail lovegrass, scientifically known as Eragrostis ciliaris, is a distinctive member of the Poaceae family. First documented by J.H. Tuckey in his “Narrative of an Expedition to explore the River Zaire” in 1818, this resilient grass species has been acknowledged and described by the botanist (L.) R. Br.
Native to both tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, Gophertail lovegrass thrives in a variety of environmental conditions. This adaptability makes it a prominent species in its native habitats. The grass is characterized by its inflorescence, which can be described as tail-like, presumably leading to its common name.
Gophertail lovegrass, like many other members of the Poaceae family, plays a vital role in its ecosystems. It provides forage for wildlife and livestock, and its growth patterns help in preventing soil erosion. Moreover, its adaptability to different climates and soils highlights its ecological significance and potential utility in land management practices, especially in regions prone to soil degradation.
Given its wide distribution and ecological importance, Eragrostis ciliaris continues to be an important subject of study for botanists and ecologists seeking to understand the dynamics of grassland ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions.
Common Names
Eng: gophertail lovegrass, gophertail grass, woolly love grass, woolly lovegrass
Por: capim-de-canário, capim-de-rola, capim-mimoso
En: Gophertail lovegrass, Gophertail grass, Woolly love grass, Woolly Lovegrass
Pt: Capim-de-canário, Capim-de-rola, Capim-mimoso
Synonyms
- Eragrostis villosa (Trin.)
- Eragrostis boryana ((Willd.) Steud.)
- Eragrostis ciliaris var. latifolia (Hack.)
- Poa lobata ((Trin.) Kunth)
- Eragrostis lobata (Trin.)
- Poa boryana (Willd.)
- Erosion ciliare ((L.) Lunell)
- Eragrostis ciliaris var. laxa (Kuntze)
- Eragrostis amboinica ((L.) Druce)
- Eragrostis amboinensis (Trin. ex Steud.)
- Eragrostis ciliaris subsp. brachystachya ((Boiss.) H.Scholz)
- Poa compta ((Link) Kunth)
- Megastachya boryana ((Willd.) Roem. & Schult.)
- Poa ciliaris (L.)
- Andropogon amboinicus ((L.) Merr.)
- Eragrostis ciliaris var. brachystachya (Boiss.)
- Eragrostis lasseri (Luces)
- Eragrostis pulchella (Parl.)
- Eragrostis ciliaris var. clarkei (Stapf ex Hook.f.)
- Poa amboinica (L.)
- Macroblepharus contractus (Phil.)
- Poa amboinensis (L.)
- Eragrostis ciliaris var. compta ((Link) Schrad.)
- Megastachya ciliaris ((L.) P.Beauv.)
- Eragrostis arabica (Jaub. & Spach)
- Poa elliptica (Willd. ex Steud.)
- Eragrostis compta (Link)
Distribution
- Aldabra (native)
- Algeria (native)
- Angola (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Benin (native)
- Botswana (native)
- Burkina (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cape Provinces (native)
- Cape Verde (native)
- Caroline Is. (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- Chad (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Congo (native)
- Djibouti (native)
- Egypt (native)
- Equatorial Guinea (native)
- Eritrea (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf States (native)
- India (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Kenya (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laccadive Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Libya (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Marianas (native)
- Marshall Is. (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Mozambique Channel I (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Niger (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Oman (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Seychelles (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Socotra (native)
- Somalia (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Togo (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Argentina Northeast (introduced)
- Argentina Northwest (introduced)
- Aruba (introduced)
- Bahamas (introduced)
- Belgium (introduced)
- Belize (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- Bolivia (introduced)
- Brazil North (introduced)
- Brazil Northeast (introduced)
- Brazil South (introduced)
- Brazil Southeast (introduced)
- Brazil West-Central (introduced)
- Cayman Is. (introduced)
- Central American Pac (introduced)
- Colombia (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Cuba (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- Ecuador (introduced)
- El Salvador (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- France (introduced)
- French Guiana (introduced)
- Galápagos (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Guatemala (introduced)
- Guyana (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Honduras (introduced)
- Jamaica (introduced)
- Japan (introduced)
- Leeward Is. (introduced)
- Line Is. (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Mexican Pacific Is. (introduced)
- Mexico Central (introduced)
- Mexico Gulf (introduced)
- Mexico Northeast (introduced)
- Mexico Northwest (introduced)
- Mexico Southeast (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Netherlands Antilles (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- Nicaragua (introduced)
- Panamá (introduced)
- Paraguay (introduced)
- Peru (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- Suriname (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
- Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Other
Taken Sep 15, 2012 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2705373)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1156566-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R.Br.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Graminoid
Growth
