Themeda triandra

Themeda triandra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Panicoideae
Genus:	Themeda
Species:	T. triandra
Binomial name
Themeda triandra Forssk.[1]
Synonyms[1]
List Callista Lour. Anthistiria australis R.Br. Anthistiria australis R.Br. var. australis Anthistiria australis var. colorata Andersson Anthistiria australis var. concolor Andersson Anthistiria australis var. pubescens Andersson Anthistiria caespitosa Andersson Anthistiria ciliata var. imberbis (Retz.) Nees Anthistiria cuspidata Andersson Anthistiria forskalii Kunth Anthistiria imberbis Retz. Anthistiria vulgaris Hack. Anthistiria vulgaris var. imberbis (Retz.) Hack. [[Nomen illegitimum}nom. illeg.]] Themeda arguens subvar. imberbis (Retz.) Roberty Themeda australis (R.Br.) Stapf Themeda forskallii (Kunth) Hack. ex Duthie Themeda forskallii subvar. caespitosa (Andersson) Hack. Themeda forskallii (Kunth) Hack. ex Duthie subvar. forskallii Themeda forskallii subvar. grandiflora Hack. Themeda forskallii subvar. lagopus Hack. Themeda forskallii (Kunth) Hack. ex Duthie var. forskallii Themeda forskallii var. imberbis (Retz.) Hack. Themeda imberbis (Retz.) T.Cooke Themeda triandra subvar. cuspidata (Andersson) Domin nom. alt. Themeda triandra subvar. grandiflora (Hack.) Domin nom. alt. Themeda triandra subvar. lagopus (Hack.) Domin nom. alt. Themeda triandra subvar. oligotricha Domin nom. alt. Themeda triandra var. caesia Domin Themeda triandra var. fascicularis Domin Themeda triandra var. praealta Domin Themeda triandra var. rigidiuscula Domin Themeda triandra Forssk. var. triandra Themeda triandra var. trichospatha Domin Themeda triandra var. vulgaris (Hack.) Domin Themeda triandra var. xiphium Domin Anthistiria ciliata auct. non L.f.: Bentham, G.

Themeda triandra is a species of C₄ perennial tussock-forming grass widespread in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass^[2] and in East Africa and South Africa it is known as red grass and red oat grass or as rooigras in Afrikaans. Kangaroo grass was formerly thought to be one of two species, and was named Themeda australis.

The plant has traditional uses as food and medicine in Africa and Australia. Indigenous Australians harvested it to make bread and string for fishing nets around 30,000 years ago. It was used as livestock feed in early colonial Australia, but this use was largely replaced by introduced plants. As of 2021^[update] there is a large government-funded project under way to investigate the possibility of growing kangaroo grass commercially in Australia for use as a regular food source for humans.