Durban crowfoot (Dactyloctenium aegyptium) is a species of plant in the Poaceae, herb, may grow upright or fall to a height of 30 cm, is green, forms dense colonies during the rainy season and sheds leaves during the dry season.
D. aegyptium has a cylindrical stem, segmented and green. The leaves are ribbon-shaped, progressively tapering to a pointed tip, white-haired base, a vein in the middle and running linearly.
The inflorescence in a panicle at the end of the stalk is long, rod-shaped, cylindrical, erect and green. The flower panicles are fan-shaped with four or five fingers and are fused at the center attached to the upper end of the stalk.
This plant is used as a source of food in situations of hunger. The species is highly adaptive, thrives on sandy soils, places with plenty of sun, warm and wet, in open forests, agricultural lands and wastelands.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Tribe: Cynodonteae
Subtribe: Dactylocteniinae
Genus: Dactyloctenium Willd. in Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol.: 1029 (1809)
Species: Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd. (1809)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Cynosurus aegyptius L. in Sp. Pl.: 72 (1753)
Eleusine aegyptia (L.) Forsyth f. in Bot. Nomencl.: 70 (1794)
Eleusine cruciata Lam. in Tabl. Encycl. 1: 203 (1792)
Eleusine pectinata Moench in Suppl. Meth.: 68 (1802)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Aegilops saccharina Walter in Fl. Carol.: 249 (1788)
Cenchrus aegyptius P.Beauv. in Ess. Agrostogr.: 157 (1812)
Cenchrus mucronatus Pers. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot. 1: 172 (1821)
Chloris guineensis Schumach. in Beskr. Guin. Pl.: 55 (1827)
Chloris mucronata Michx. in Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 59 (1803)
Chloris prostrata (Willd.) Poir. ex Roem. & Schult. in Syst. Veg., ed. 15. 2: 610 (1817)
Ctenium nukaviense Steud. in Essai Fl. Marquises: 27 (1858)
Cynosurus aegyptiacus Link in Handbuch 1: 23 (1829)
Cynosurus carolinianus Willd. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 1: 465 (1840)
Cynosurus cavara Dillwyn in Rev. Hortus Malab.: 61 (1839)
Cynosurus ciliaris Rottler ex Hook.f. in Fl. Brit. India 7: 296 (1896)
Cynosurus distachyos Rottler ex Steud. (1840)
Cynosurus macara Buch.-Ham. ex Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 3818 C (1831)
Dactyloctenium aegyptiacum Willd. (1809)
Dactyloctenium aegyptium var. mucronatum (Michx.) Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boissier 3(App. 2): 34 (1894)
Dactyloctenium aegyptium f. viviparum Beetle in Phytologia 48: 190 (1981)
Dactyloctenium ciliare Chiov. in Fl. Somala 1: 337 (1929)
Dactyloctenium distachyum Trin. in Fund. Agrost.: 140 (1820)
Dactyloctenium figarei De Not. in Index Seminum (GE, Genuensis) 1847: 27 (1847)
Dactyloctenium meridionale Ham. in Prodr. Pl. Ind. Occid.: 6 (1825)
Dactyloctenium mpuetense De Wild. in Miss. Ém. Laurent 1: 206 (1906)
Dactyloctenium mucronatum (Michx.) Willd. (1809)
Dactyloctenium mucronatum var. erectum E.Fourn. in Mexic. Pl. 2: 144 (1886)
Dactyloctenium prostratum Willd. (1809)
Eleusine ciliata Raf. in J. Bot. Agric. 4: 273 (1815)
Eleusine cruciata Elliott in Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 176 (1816)
Eleusine egyptia Raf. in Précis Découv. Somiol.: 45 (1814)
Eleusine prostrata Spreng. in Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 1: 350 (1824)
Rabdochloa mucronata (Michx.) P.Beauv. (1812)
Syntherisma aegyptiaca Schult. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 2: 656 (1841)
PUBLICATIONS
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
Aedo, C., Tellería, M.T. & Velayos, M. (eds.) (1999). Bases Documentales para la Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial; Plantas vascularis y hongos: 1-414. CSIC, real jardín Botánico, Madrid.
Ahmed, Z.U. (ed.) (2008). Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh 12: 1-505. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
Al-Rawi, A. (1987). Flora of Kuwait 2: 1-455. Alden Press Ltd., U.K.
Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1993). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 2(2): 433-968. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
Barry, J. P. & Celles, J.S. (1991). Flore de Mauritanie 2: 360-550. Centre Regional de Documentation Pedagogique, Nice.
Berry, M. (2023). Adventives & Aliens news 30. BSBI News 154: 31-41.
Boggan, J. Funck, V. & Kelloff, C. (1997). Checklist of the Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, Franch Guiana) ed. 2: 1-238. University of Guyana, Georgetown.
Bor, N.L. (1968). Flora of Iraq 9: 1-588. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.
Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
Bosser, J. & Renvoize, S.A. (2018). Flore des Mascareignes 203: 1-276. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
Bosser, J. (1969). Gramiées des pasturages et des cultures a Madagascar: 1-440. ORSTOM, Paris.
Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.
Boulos, L. (2005). Flora of Egypt 4: 1-617. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 2(2): 1-94. ORSTOM, Bangui.
Brako, L. & Zarucchi, J.L. (1993). Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: i-xl, 1-1286. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Catarino, L., Sampaio Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F. & Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau: 1-298. Instituto de investigação científica tropical, Instituto Português de apoio ao desenvolvimento.
Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
Cirilo, N. & Proctor, G.R. (1994). Vascular plants of the Caribbean Swan islands of Honduras. Brenesia 41-42: 73-80.
Clayton, W.D. & Snow, N. (2010). A key to Pacific Grasses: 1-107. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Clayton, W.D., Phillips, S.M., Renvoize, S.A. (1974). Gramineae. Flora of Tropical East Africa 2: 177-449.
Cope, T. (1999). Flora Zambesiaca 10(2): 1-261. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Cope, T.A. (1982). Flora of Pakistan 143: 1-678. Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi.
Cope, T.A., Knees, S.G. & Miller, A.G. (2007). Flora of the Arabian peninsula and Socotra 5(1): 1-387. Edinburgh University Press.
Danin, A. (2004). Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina area: 1-517. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Dassanayake (ed.) (1994). A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon 8: 1-458. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. PVT. LTD., New Delhi, Calcutta.
Datta, B.K., Saha, R. Roy, M. & Majumder, K. (2008). Grasses of West Tripura district, Tripura, India. Pleione 2: 98-105.
Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flora Mesoamericana 6: 1-543. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.
Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (2009). Flora Mesoamericana 4(1): 1-855. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.
Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
Dávila, P., Mejia-Saulés, M.T., Gómez-Sánchez, N., Valdés-Reyna, J., Ortíz, J.J., Morín, C., Castrejón, J. & Ocampo, A. (2006). Catálogo de las Gramíneas de México: 1-671. CONABIO, México city.
Exell, A.W. (1973). Angiosperms of the islands of the gulf of Guinea (Fernando Po, Príncipe, S.Tomé, and Annobon). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Botany 4: 325-411.
Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2003). Flora of North America North of Mexico 25: 1-781. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Gilliland, H.B. (1971). A revised flora of Malaya 3: 1-319. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Singapore.
Giraldo-Cañas, D. (2011). Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49: 139-247.
Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].
Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
Henty, E.E. (1969). A manual of the grasses of New Guinea: 1-215. Division of Botany, Dpt. of Forests, LAE, New Guinea.
Hepper, F.N. (ed.) (1972). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 3(2): 277-574.
Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
Jongbloed, M., Western, R.A. & Boer, B. (2000). Annotated Check-list for plants in the U.A.E.: 1-90. Zodiac Publishing, Dubai.
Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75: i-viii, 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Kandwal, M.K. & Gupta, B.K. (2009). An update on grass flora of Uttarkhand. Indian Journal of Forestry 32: 657-668.
Karthikeyan, S., Jain, S.K., Nayar, M.P. & Sanjappa, M. (1989). Florae Indicae Enumeratio: Monocotyledonae: 1-435. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.
Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.
Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.
Koyama, T. (1987). Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions: an identification manual: 1-570. Kodansha, Tokyo, Japan.
Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.
Lebrun, J.P. (1973). Énumération des plantes vasculaires du Sénégal: 1-209. Maisons Alfort: Institut d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux.
Levin, G.A. & Moran, R. (1989). The vascular flora of isla Socorro, Mexico: 1-71. Dept. of Botany, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego.
Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
Lisowski, S. (2009). Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée. Scripta Botanica Belgica 41: 1-517.
Mallett, K. (ed.) (2005). Flora of Australia 44B: 1-486. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Meikle, R.D. (1985). Flora of Cyprus 2: 833-1970. The Bentham-Moxon Trust Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Menjívar Cruz, J.E., R.M. Baldini, G. Davidse & P.M. Peterson (2021). El Salvador grasses: An updated catalogue and nomenclator. Phytoneuron 2021-22: 1-131.
Middleton, D.J. & al. (eds.) (2019). Flora of Singapore 7: 1-525. Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Noltie, H.J. (2000). Flora of Bhutan 3(2): 457-883. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.
Prasanna, P.V. & al. (eds.) (2024). Flora of India 32: 1-694. Botanical Survey of India.
Reddy, G.V.P. (2011). Survey of invasive plants on Guam and identification of the 20 most widespread. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 41: 263-274.
Renvoize, S.A. (1998). Gramineas de Bolivia: 1-644. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
Sosef, M.S.M. & al. (2006). Check-list des plantes vasculaires du Gabon. Scripta Botanica Belgica 35: 1-438.
Thulin, M. (ed.) (1995). Flora of Somalia 4: i-ii, 1-298. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
Turner, I.M. (1995 publ. 1997). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(2): 347-655.
Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
Walker, E.H. (1976). Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu islands: 1-1159. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A Handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae. Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.
VERNACULAR NAME
Afrikaans: Gewone honderspoor gras, Hoenderspoorgras, Honderspoorgras, Natal kweek, Natalkweek
Australia: Coast button grass
Burmese: Didok-chi, Myet-le-gra, Mye-sa myet
Chinese (simplified): 龙爪茅
Chinese (traditional): 龍爪茅
Czech: Hřebenetka egyptská
Danish: Kamfingergræs
English: Durban Crowfoot, Durban Crowfootgrass, Coast Button Grass, Beach wiregrass, Common crowfoot, Helicopter grass, Egyptian Crowfoot, Coast Buttongrass, Coast Duck Grass, Coast Grass, Crow Foot, Duck Grass, Egyptian Fingergrass, Egyptian crowfoot grass, L.M. Grass, Starfish Grass
Filipino: Krus-krusan, Damong-balang, Tugot-manok
French: Chiendent patte-poule
Hebrew: בת-יבלית מצרית
Hindi: मकर - कुरी Makara, Kuri
Hong Kong: 龍爪茅
Indonesian: Tapak jalak, Rumput kawat
Italian: Gramigna egiziana
Japanese: タツノツメガヤ
Java: Suket dringoan
Kannada: Kadu ragi hullu, Kaadu raagi hullu, Konana tale hullu
Korean: 지네발새
Macao: 龍爪茅
Madura: Rebha kartuut
Malayalam: Kavarapullu, Kakkakalan pullu, Kavara pull
Malaysia: Rumput miuyak
Manipuri: Pungphai
Nepali: Maakure Ghaans, Datayure Jhaar
Oriya: Kakuria
Punjabi: Madhana
Russian: Дактилоктениум египетский
Sanskrit: Takrahva
Slovak: Hrebenatka egyptská
Spanish: Pasto pata de pollo, Zacate egipcio
Sunda: Tapak jalak
Swahili: Mkandi
Swedish: Knapphirs
Taiwan: 龍爪茅
Telugu: Ganuku gaddi
Thai: หญ้าปากควาย - ยา-ปักควาย
Tswana: Ngharara, Dingofo
Turkish: Yıldızçimi
Vietnam: Co' chân gà, Co chi
Zulu: Ungwengwe
Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium