Eleusine indica

• Botanical Name : Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.
• Synonyms : Cynosurus indicus L.
• Common Name : Andhannagli, Ukdo, Indian Crowfoot Grass, Indian Goose Grass, Wire Grass
• Plant Family : Poaceae (Gramineae)

• According to the Rules of ICBN the names of the families should end in -aceae. Thus the new name for the family Gramineae became Poaceae. However, the name Gramineae is also exempted and conserved under 'NominaConservanda' because of their constant use for a long time.

• Plant Form : Grasses
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 6, 11, 16, 27, 28
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park

About Eleusine indica Plant :

• Habit : Annual, erect, stem 30-60 cm high, tufted, slightly compressed, glabrous, roots of strong fibres.
• Leaves : Distichous, flat or folded, as long as the stem, linear, glabrous or sparsely hairy, with nearly smooth margins; sheaths compressed; ligule a thin slightly hairy membrane.
• Inflorescence : Spikes2-7 or more, 5-12.5 cm long, with sometimes one or two detached spikes below the umbel, digitate, suberect, rachis flattened.
• Flowers : Spikelets pointing forward at an acute angle with the rachis of the spike, variable in size, 3-6 flowered, glabrous. Involucral glume unequal, membranous; lower ovate-oblong, acute, 1-nerved, upper ovate-oblong, subacute, very shortly apiculate with 3-7 green nerves, floral glumes gibbously ovate-oblong, obtuse, 0.3 cm long; palea shorter than the glume, oblong-lanceolate, subacute.Anthers 0.08 cm long.
• Fruit : Grain oblong, obtusely trigonous, obliquely striate, reddish-brown.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : July-January
• Significance :
  • It is an esteemed grass.
  • The seeds are used as food in times of scarcity.
  • The culms are used for making hats.