Spiked Bur Grass
Tragus berteronianus
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Angola, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Chad, China, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gulf States, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Forest and Kim Starr (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Tragus
- Species:
- Tragus berteronianus
- USDA Symbol:
- TRBE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base after fire; common in disturbed grasslands with periodic burning.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in disturbed areas and roadsides
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions without pretreatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI