Urochloa trichopus (Hochst.) Stapf

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Along Zvishavane road west of Masvingo

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, office area

Photo: Petra Ballings
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Tuli

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Synonyms:	Panicum trichopus Hochst. Urochloa engleri Pilger Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) Dandy Urochloa pullulans Stapf Urochloa rhodesiensis Stent
Common names:	Bushveld signal grass (English) Common signal grass (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual or, tufted or stoloniferous, perennial 20-150 cm tall. Inflorescence of 3-20 racemes each 3-12 cm long on a narrow winged rhachis, bearing a row of single or sometimes paired spikelets. Spikelets 2.5-5.5 mm, ovate. Lower glume 2/3-3/4 the length of the spikelet, oblong to narrowly oblong, 3-nerved, often with a tuft of 1-5 stiff hairs from the middle of the back. Upper glume and lower lemma usually without cross-nerves. Upper lemma granulose to rugulose with a mucro 0.5-1.2 mm long.
Notes:	U. trichopus was formerly treated as a separate species to U. mosambicensis, mainly on the basis of being an annual. We have followed Sosef (2016) in combining the two taxa under U. trichopus which is the earlier name.
Derivation of specific name:	trichopus: from Greek: thrix meaning hair, -pus meaning a foot, the reference unclear
Habitat:	In savanna woodland and wooded grassland, often spreading by stolons through disturbed areas such as roadsides.
Altitude range:	Up to 1600 m
Flowering time:	Oct - May
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical and South Africa, Arabia and Madagascar.
Malawi distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Wednesday 4 October 2017
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 57. As Urochloa mosambicensis Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 57. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 36. As Urochloa mosambicensis Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 81 - 82. As Urochloa mosambicensis Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 82 - 83. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 141. Gibbs Russell, G.E. et al. (1990). Grasses of Southern Africa. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria Pages 351 - 352. As both U. mosambicensis ad U. trichopus (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 446. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 34. As Urochloa mosambicensis (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 65. As Urochloa mosambicensis Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 65. As Urochloa pullulans Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 111. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 111. As Urochloa mosambicensis Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 137. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 222 - 223. (Includes a picture). Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 220 - 221. As Urochloa mosambicensis (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 147. As Urochloa mosambicensis Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 148. Sosef, M.S.M. (2016). Taxonomic novelties in Central African grasses (Poaceae), Paniceae 1 Plant Ecology and Evolution 149(3) Pages 361 - 362. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 193. Van Oudtshoorn, F.P. (1992). Grasses of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 269. (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Botswana: Urochloa trichopus
Flora of Caprivi: Urochloa trichopus
Flora of Mozambique: Urochloa trichopus
Flora of Zambia: Urochloa trichopus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Urochloa trichopus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Urochloa trichopus
African Plant Database: Urochloa trichopus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Urochloa trichopus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Urochloa trichopus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Urochloa trichopus
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iNaturalist: Urochloa trichopus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Urochloa trichopus
JSTOR Plant Science: Urochloa trichopus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Urochloa trichopus
Plants of the World Online: Urochloa trichopus
Tropicos: Urochloa trichopus
Wikipedia: Urochloa trichopus