Fountain Grass

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Fountain grass
Pennisetum setaceum Habit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Pennisetum Species: P. setaceum
Binomial name
Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov.

Fountain Grass is a C4 perennial bunch grass from north Africa and can grow up to a meter high. It has been introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental plant. It is drought tolerant, grows fast and has many purple, plumose flower spikes. Fountain grass has a limited range within its natural range along the Sahara and Mediterranean Coast.

[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.

[edit] External links

• Sonoran Desert conservation fact sheet