Egyptian Grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium): A Spreading Annual Grass with Crowfoot Seed Heads

Egyptian Grass, also known as Crowfoot Grass, is a summer annual grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium) native to Africa but now a cosmopolitan weed in warm regions. It is named for its distinctive seed head with 2–7 spikes radiating like a crow's foot.

Weedy Character

This grass spreads by rooting at the lower nodes, forming mats. The leaves are flat, sparsely hairy. The inflorescence is a terminal umbel of spikes; each spikelet is crowded and awnless. It thrives in disturbed, sandy soils and is common in crops, lawns, and waste areas.

Control and Use

It is considered a noxious weed in many areas. Control by pre-emergent herbicides, cultivation, or maintaining dense turf. In some regions, it is grazed as forage when young. Its rapid growth and soil-binding roots can be useful for quick ground cover on sandy sites.