Urochloa mutica, commonly known as para grass, buffalo grass, Mauritius signal grass, pasto pare, malojilla, gramalote, parana, Carib grass, and Scotch grass, is a species of grass. Despite its common name of California grass, it does not occur in California; it is native to northern and central Africa and parts of the Middle East, where it is cultivated for fodder. It was introduced elsewhere and it is now cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world for this purpose.
Description
Para grass is a vigorous, semi-prostrate perennial grass with creeping stolons which can grow up to 5 metres (16 ft) long. The stems have hairy nodes and leaf sheaths and the leaf blades are up to 2 centimetres (0.8 in) wide and 30 centimetres (12 in) long. It roots at the nodes and detached pieces of the plant will easily take root in moist ground. The flower-head is a loose panicle up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long with spreading branches. The paired spikelets are arranged in uneven rows and are elliptical and 2.5 to 5 millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 in) long. The rachis is tinged with purple. Although many flower-heads grow, only a few viable seeds are produced, and propagation is usually by vegetative means. Para grass can be distinguished from the closely related tanner grass (Brachiaria arrecta) by its paired spikelets, tanner grass having single spikelets.
Distribution and habitat
Para grass is native to northern and central Africa and parts of the Middle East. It was introduced into Central America but has largely been superseded there by other species of Brachiaria. It was also introduced into the humid, tropical parts of Australia around 1880 and has become widely naturalised in Queensland. By a few decades later it had become naturalised in much of southern Asia and on many Pacific islands, but is confined to its preferred habitat of poorly drained, swampy land. Along with tanner grass, it is planted as a fodder grass in seasonally flooded or swampy habitats, and in ponds in...
