Skip to content

Stinkgrass

Eragrostis cilianensis

Family: Poaceae Genus: Eragrostis Species: cilianensis

Synonyms: Eragrostis polymorpha, Poa megastachya, Briza eragrostis var. megastachya, Eragrostis eragrostis var. megastachya, Eragrostis cilianensis subsp. starosselskyi, Megastachya eragrostis, Eragrostis polysperma, Poa oblonga, Eragrostis pilosa subsp. triticea, Eragrostis leersioides, Poa megastachya var. densiflora, Eragrostis pooides subsp. brizoides, Poa megastachya var. intermedia, Eragrostis cilianensis var. starosselskyi, Poa roxburghiana, Eragrostis pappii, Eragrostis cilianensis f. leersioides, Megastachya purpurascens, Eragrostis polyadenia, Eragrostis costata, Eragrostis pilosa subsp. leersioides, Eragrostis cilianensis subsp. major, Eragrostis major, Poa pennsylvanica, Poa obtusa, Eragrostis flexuosa, Eragrostis major var. conferta, Megastachya triticea, Eragrostis triticea, Eragrostis pappiana var. insularis, Eragrostis multiflora subsp. leersioides, Eragrostis cilianensis var. leersioides, Briza purpurascens, Poa nuttallii, Eragrostis multiflora var. insularis, Eragrostis virletii, Eragrostis eragrostis subvar. leersioides, Eragrostis multiflora var. cilianensis, Poa philadelphica, Eragrostis major var. subbiloba, Eragrostis monodii, Eragrostis cilianensis subsp. thyrsiflora, Poa triticea, Eragrostis megastachya var. microstachya, Eragrostis cilianensis var. major, Eragrostis megastachya var. paucispicula, Poa leersioides, Briza oblonga, Eragrostis megastachya, Eragrostis megastachya var. verrucosa, Eragrostis schweinfurthiana, Eragrostis oblonga, Eragrostis megastachya var. densiflora, Eragrostis pooides var. compacta, Poa cachectica, Eragrostis vulgaris subsp. megastachya, Megastachya obtusa, Eragrostis multiglandulosa, Eragrostis minor var. major, Eragrostis cilianensis var. thyrsiflora, Eragrostis multiflora var. subbiloba, Eragrostis megastachya var. cilianensis, Eragrostis multiflora f. violacea, Poa tortuosa, Eragrostis argentina, Eragrostis starosselskyi, Eragrostis cilianensis f. megastachya, Eragrostis pooides var. megastachya, Eragrostis megastachya var. thyrsiflora, Eragrostis eragrostis, Briza megastachya, Eragrostis minor var. megastachya, Eragrostis thyrsiflora, Briza eragrostis, Megastachya oblonga, Eragrostis multiflora var. glandulifera, Erosion cilianense, Eragrostis vulgaris subsp. major, Eragrostis minor var. megastycha, Poa megastachya var. minor, Eragrostis megastachya var. compacta, Eragrostis megastachya f. thessalonica, Eragrostis cilianensis var. subbiloba, Eragrostis megastachya f. nana, Eragrostis vulgaris var. megastachya, Eragrostis megastachya var. acutiuscula, Calotheca purpurascens, Eragrostis articulata, Megastachya leersioides, Eragrostis pooides var. major, Eragrostis cilianensis var. minoroides, Eragrostis megastachya var. leersioides, Poa cilianensis

Stinkgrass (en)
Eragrostis cilianensis β€” flower
Eragrostis cilianensis β€” flower

Botanical Description

Eragrostis cilianensis is a tufted annual grass of the Poaceae family growing 10-60 cm tall with a strong, characteristically rank odour from numerous glandular pits scattered on the inflorescence and upper leaves. Culms are geniculately ascending or erect, branched at the base, smooth and often somewhat flattened. Leaf blades are flat, linear, 4-20 cm long and 2-5 mm wide, with scaberulous margins; leaf sheaths are loose, keeled and sparsely glandular along the keel and margins. The ligule is a fringe of short hairs. The inflorescence is a dense, ovoid to oblong panicle 4-20 cm long with stiffly ascending branches bearing densely crowded spikelets; conspicuous glandular pits are present on the rachis, branches and pedicels. Spikelets are oblong, 5-20 mm long, conspicuously flattened, lead-grey to greenish-grey, and contain 10-40 closely overlapping florets. Lemmas are broadly ovate, three-nerved with prominent green nerves and a glandular keel. The grain is small, ovoid, reddish-brown and falls free at maturity. Native to the warmer regions of Eurasia and now naturalised through most temperate and subtropical regions of the world, common as a weed of disturbed ground.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andaman Is., Angola, Azores, Baleares, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Cape Verde, Caprivi Strip, Central African Repu, Chad, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Corse, Cyprus, Djibouti, East Aegean Is., East Himalaya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Free State, Ghana, Greece, Gulf States, Hainan, Hungary, India, Inner Mongolia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jawa, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirgizstan, Korea, Kriti, Krym, KwaZulu-Natal, Lebanon-Syria, Lesotho, Lesser Sunda Is., Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Maluku, Manchuria, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nansei-shoto, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Niger, Nigeria, North Caucasus, Northern Provinces, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Portugal, Qinghai, Rodrigues, Romania, Rwanda, RΓ©union, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sicilia, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Swaziland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, ZaΓ―re, Zimbabwe

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID
228313

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.