Melinis nerviglumis

Melinis nerviglumis, commonly known as mountain red top or bristle-leaved red top and in Afrikaans as steekblaarblinkgras (stab leaf shiny grass), is a perennial, tufted grass reaching heights up to 1,2 m.

The species occurs widespread in southern Africa, in all nine provinces while absent from parts of the northwest. It also grows in Asia and on some Indian Ocean islands, including Madagascar.

The habitat is open grassveld, bushveld and fynbos slopes, often in shallow, stony soils; also in dry areas. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

This usually increaser species is a moderately palatable to little valued fodder grass (Van Oudtshoorn, et al, 1991; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw; http://pza.sanbi.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).