In parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka boda (బోధ గడ్డి) is the common name for is the common name for three different Cymbopogon grasses found in our sites: Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) J. F. Watson, Cymbopogon caesius (Hook. & Arn.) Stapf, and Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones) Schult his is an evergreen, clump-forming, perennial grass producing erect culms 30 - 280 cm tall.
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| Measuring the height of Cymbopogon jwarancusa |
This grass grows well in a
well-drained gravelly soil. In summer, this grass can become highly flammable in its growing season that is in February- March and increases the fire intensity.
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| Cymbopogon jwarancusa |
One clump of grass cover about 7 square meters of area and generally other grasses and herbs are not found in this area.
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| Cymbopogon jwarancusa |
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| Herbarium specimen of Cymbopogon jwarancusa |
In a recent study, we demonstrated that the removal of this dominant grass and exclusion of fire resulted in positive outcomes for both human livelihoods and biodiversity. We believe that fire management alone is not adequate to restore ecosystems to their desired or historical state, a common practice in many parts of the world. Read more about our findings in the
article.
