Fountain Grass
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| Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. |
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)is a C4 perennial bunch grass from the north African arid Mediterranean area of the Atlas Mountains and Middle East and can grow up to a metre high. It has been introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental plant. Its popularity is probably due to its drought tolerance, unpalatability to animals, rapid growth and profuse, purple, plumose flower spikes. Fountain grass is often found associated with roads, schist cuttings, erosion gullies, mine dumps, paths, rocky slopes, excavations and disturbances outside its natural range and establishes best on denuded, fertile rocky soils. Although the grass has a limited range within its natural range along the Sahara and Mediterranean Coast, it invades many natural habitat types, and broad altitudinal ranges, and varying rainfall and water conditions as well as varying soil types.
[edit] Environmental threat
Although a native of North Africa, it has been introduced in Tenerife 1, Hawaii, and the "sun belt" states of the United States as well as in South Africa. It thrives in warmer, drier areas and threatens many native species, with which it competes very effectively. It also tends to increase the risk of intense fires, thus posing a further threat to certain native species.
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