Dactyloctenium Aegyptium - All You Need To Know

Dactyloctenium aegyptium, common name Egyptian crowfoot grass, is native to Africa and Asia and belongs to the Poaceae family of grasses.

This plant is used for multipurpose, feeding it to cattle and can also be used as a pest. Dactyloctenium aegyptium is a low cost maintainance houseplant.

Let's learn more about Dactyloctenium aegyptium!

Dactyloctenium aegyptium - An Overview

Dactyloctenium aegyptium is usually grouped in 2 to 6 unilateral, horizontal spikes and digitate or sub-digitate. The seeds are roughly 1 mm long, angular, wrinkled, or rugose, and either white or brown. Crowfoot grass from Egypt varies greatly. The name comes from the usual seed heads resembling crow's feet. A palea that is about 3 mm long, with two nerves, scabrous keels, a dorsally concave body, and a sharp bifid tip. Three pale-yellow anthers, 0.3-0.5 mm long, anther cells relatively distant, with a prominent connective. The caryopsis is sub-triangular or sub-quadrate, laterally compressed, rugose, and light brown, and its apex is occasionally apparent. It is never convex.

Egyptian crowfoot grass, or Dactyloctenium aegyptium, is an annual or short-lived perennial grass that grows up to 75 cm tall and is tufted. It has many branches. The stems are thin, ascending, and upright or geniculate. Stolons can creep and originate from lower nodes—horizontal roots. The leaves are crisp and somewhat succulent, generally linear, 3–25 cm long, and 3–15 mm wide. The apex of the stem is where the inflorescences are produced.

Some important factors of Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Name of species	Dactyloctenium aegyptium
Taxonomic tree	Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Spermatophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Monocotyledonae
Category	Houseplants, Annual, Grass, Herbaceous, Seed propagated, Vegetative propagated,
Family name	Poaceae (Gramineae)
Common name	Crowfoot grass, Coast button grass, Madana, Makra, Duck grass, Durban crowfoot, Egyptian finger grass, Egyptian grass, Finger comb grass, Four-finger grass
Division of the plant	Angiosperms (Seed Plants)
Mode of nutrition	Autotrophic
Preferred climate	Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal
Native habitat	Terrestrial (Secondary Rainforest, Grassland / Savanna/ Shrubland)
Desirable plant features	Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Seeds
Landscape uses	Outdoor plant
Temperature	50° to 80°F (10° to 27°C)

Characteristics of Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Here's a closer look at its characteristics:

• Appearance: Egyptian crowfoot grass or Dactyloctenium aegyptium is a slender annual herb with wiry stems that can grow up to 2 feet tall. The leaves are grass-like, with hairy margins. The flowers are arranged in clusters that resemble a crow's foot.

• Habitat: This grass grows in damp, heavy soils and is commonly found in open spaces, wastelands, and along roadsides. It's also considered an invasive pest in some areas.

Uses of Dactyloctenium aegyptium

As mentioned above, Dactyloctenium aegyptium is a multi-purpose household plant with several uses. Some of these are mentioned below:

1. Food: Egyptian crowfoot grass seeds have the potential to be an important source of nutrition and are traditionally used as a scarce food in Africa.

2. Medicinal uses

• The entire plant is made into a water extract to treat lumbago, smallpox, and typhoid.

• A portion of the leaves, combined with Cajanus cajan seeds, is used to quicken childbirth.

• The leaf extract is used together with Scoparia dulcis to treat diarrhoea.

3. Fodder: This grass provides cattle with a decent source of feed, particularly in places where grazing opportunities are less.

4. Decorative Purpose: You can use Dactyloctenium aegyptium as a decorative grass plant in your garden or yard. These grasses are great decorative plants for your lawn's border and bed.

Nutritional benefit of Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Below are the major benefits of Dactyloctenium aegyptium that you shoul be aware of:

• Variable Nutritional Content: Egyptian crowfoot grass's protein content and crude fiber content can vary significantly depending on the growth stage, season, and soil fertility. It ranges from 5-15% dry matter (DM) for protein and 26-39% DM for crude fiber.

• Relatively Low Protein: Compared to other food options, Dactyloctenium aegyptium's protein content leans towards the lower end. This is especially true for the straw, which can dip as low as 4-5% DM protein.

Dactyloctenium Aegyptium - Side Effects

Several adverse effects of Dactyloctenium Aegyptium, depending on the exposure context:

Dactyloctenium Aegyptium has large concentrations of cyanogenic glycosides during specific growth phases. When these substances are consumed, they release cyanide, which can be poisonous or even lethal to cattle in significant doses.

This plant grows quickly and can overtake crops like peanuts, cotton, maize, or dry-seeded rice in agricultural settings, where it can become a competitive plant.

Control and prevention of Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Since Dactyloctenium Aegyptium poses a danger to other crop plants, it must regulate its development and reproduction. It can be prevented by organic and chemical methods. The following are the preventative measures:

Organic control:

• Early weeding to coincide with increases in germination is an organic control strategy.

• When the infected crop is at its most vulnerable, start plucking.

• They should be removed to halt the spread of propagules before they mature.

• The creation of a weed-free seedbed.

• Crop rotation involves the application of organic ground cover, either living or dead.

Chemical control:

Several chemicals should control Dactyloctenium aegyptium, such as Atrazine, Atrazine-simazine, Fluchloralin and Linuron, Foliar-applied propanil and Paraquat, etc.

Populate, EPTC, and fluometuron have all been used to treat the soil.

Egyptian crowfoot grass, or Dactyloctenium aegyptium, is a diverse and adaptable plant. Although its seeds can provide food in areas where there isn't much else to eat, and the grass can feed animals, its rapid growth can make it an annoying weed on farms. It can also be toxic to animals at specific phases of development. Covering and crop rotation are important preventative methods to properly manage this grass.

Control measures like hand weeding or targeted herbicides might be required if the problem develops. Applying appropriate management techniques and comprehending their dual aspects are essential for making effective use of Dactyloctenium aegyptium.

There you go, folks. These are all you need to know about Dactyloctenium aegyptium.