Kunth.Family: Poaceae, Gramineae.
Habitat: Annual grass introduced into India from South Africa; cultivated in tropical and subtropical low-lying areas where rainfall is less than 125 cm.
English: Giant Rhodes, RhodesGrass.Folk: Rhoolsoohullu (Karnataka).Action: A proteinaceous factor, phytotrophin, isolated from the grass, was found to have antigenic properties similar to those of animal sex hormones and human chorionic gonadotrophin.
A related species, Chloris incompleta Roth., known as Bamnaa in Rajasthan and Mathania in Uttar Pradesh, has been equated with Ayurvedic classical herbs Manthaanakand Trnaaddhip. Another species, C. virgata Benth. & Hook. f., known as Gharaniyaa-ghass in Rajasthan, is used for the treatment of colds and rheumatism.
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