COMMON BOTANICAL NAME OF GRASS, WEED AND THEIR DESCRIPTIION OF CHARACTERISTICS



Common Name:                  SPEAR GRASS
Botanical Name:     Heteropogon contorous
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 They grow on poor soil as well as soil with high                                                acidity.
Description of Characteristics:
i.                    They are cool seasoned tufted perennial grasses
ii.                 The foliage grows from 10 -20cm high.
iii.               Most species flowers in spring.    


Common Name:                  Day flower
Botanical Name:     Commelina communis 
Family:                                  Commelinaceae
Habitat:                                 It strives in edges of garden and yards, fence                                                      row; vacant lots and waste areas.
Description of Characteristics:
i.                    It is about 1-3m long
ii.                 It can be erect or spraw across the ground like vine .
iii.               The round stems are smooth and hairless.
iv.               Their margins are smooth and veins runs parallel to each other .
v.                  Upper edge of the sheath is usually hairless.
vi.               Each flower blooms during the morning for a single day.

Common Name:                  Elephant grass
Botanical Name:     Pennistrum purpureum 
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 It is found on wide range of soils.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a tall grass.
ii.                 It grows in dense clumps of up to 10 feet tall.
iii.               In the savannah of Africa, it grows along lake beds and rivers where the soil is rich.
iv.               They are yellowish or purple in colour .
v.                  The stems are coarse and hairy
vi.               The leaves are 2-3 feet long
vii.             The edges of the leaves are razor sharp.

Common Name:                  Turbina
Botanical Name:     Turbina corymbosa  
Family:                                  Convolvulaceae
Habitat:                                 It grows along rainforest margins and water ways
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a scrambling vine growing to at least 8 meters in height.
ii.                 Its leaves are heart shaped.
iii.               It produces many branched flowers.

Common Name:                  Fire weed
Botanical Name:     Chamerion  angustitolium
Family:                                  Onagraceae
Habitat:                                 It is found on wet cancerous to slightly acidic soil                                            in open field.
Descriptive of Chrematistics:
i.                    The reddish stems of this weed are usually simple .
ii.                 The leaves are entire and pinnately veined.
iii.               The radically symmetrical flower has four magneta to pink petals.

Common Name:                  Wild snake gourd
Botanical Name:     Trichosanthes cveumerina 
Family:                                  Cucurbitaceae
Habitat:                                 Wet region.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a green vegetable with broad leaf
ii.                 It is sometimes taken as vegetable or for medical purposes

Common Name:                  Gamba Grass
Botanical Name:     Andropogon gayaanus
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 It grows on lowland areas in region with tropical                                               and warmer sub tropical climates. 
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a large, long-live grass reaching up to 4cm in height
ii.                 Its stems are robust and are quite hairy.
iii.               Its seed (7-9cam long) are hairy and have a large, bent and twisted awn.

Common Name:                  Bahama Grass
Botanical Name:     Cynodon dactylon
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 It strives in warm climate
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a perennial evergreen grass.
ii.                 It is grating at the rate of 0.3m by 0.5m at a medium rate.
iii.               Its blades are grey-green colour.
iv.               Its blades are short.

Common Name:                  Balrush
Botanical Name:     Scipsus tuberasus
Family:                                  Cyperaceae
Habitat:                                 It lives in humid habitat.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a long flower grass between 4-6cm
ii.                 Its flowering period is between March- October.

Common Name:                  Swinecrees
Botanical Name:     Coronopus didymus  
Family:                                  Brassicaceae
Habitat:                                 commonly seen in garden and road sides.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It grows all year round.
ii.                 It has broad leaf.

Common Name:                  False Daisy 
Botanical Name:     Eclipla alba
Family:                                  Asteraceae 
Habitat:                                 Gardens and Roadsides
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It has a broad leaf.
ii.                 It is a long grass with white flower.

Common Name:                  Garden sponge
Botanical Name:     Euphorbia hirta
Family:                                  Eurphorbiaceae
Habitat:                                 It grows in both wet and dry climates.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a deep rooted weed.
ii.                 It has small leaf.
iii.               It is a weed with flowers.

Common Name:                  Spear Grass
Botanical Name:     Imperata cylinderica  
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Poor soil as well as soil with high acidity.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    They are cool seasoned tufted perennial grasses.
ii.                 Most species flower in springs or dry season.

Common Name:                  Giant Star Grass
Botanical Name:     Cynodon plectostachyles 
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Grows in both good soil and acidic soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a perennial grass without rhizomes .
ii.                 There is absence of seed.

Common Name:                  Neetle leaf goosefoot
Botanical Name:     Chenopodium murale
Family:                                  Amaranthaceae
Habitat:                                 Fields and Roadsides.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is an annual weed of up to 70cm in height.
ii.                 the oval to triangular leaves are toothed and broad .
iii.               The inflorescence are powdery clusters of spherical buds.

Common Name:                  Rhodes Grass
Botanical Name:     Chloris gayama
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 It strives in normal soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is 1-2m tall
ii.                 It spreads by root runners
iii.               It is a poor water logging tolerant weed
iv.               it requires high fertility to survive

Common Name:                  Winter Wild Oat
Botanical Name:     Avena serillis spp
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Dry and wet soils.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    it is a long weed of about 7cm long .
ii.                 It is an erect perennial grass.

Common Name:                  Croton
Botanical Name:     Cordiaeum variegatum 
Family:                                  Eurphorbiaceae
Habitat:                                 Moonsoon forest, Hills and Rainforest
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It is evergreen leaves .
ii.                 It is a small scrubs up to 12m tall.

Common Name:                  Sickle pod
Botanical Name:     Senna obtusifolia 
Family:                                  Leguminosae
Habitat:                                 Agricultural field, roadsides and waste sites.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    The compound leaf are arranged spirally.
ii.                 It is a herb that grows up to 5 feet tall.
iii.               It is spreading with numerous ascending, hairless branches.

Common Name:                  Leaf flower
Botanical Name:     Phyllanthus mirabilis
Family:                                  Phyllantheae
Habitat:                                 Commonly found on roadsides.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It is a short grown herb.
ii.                 It has short leaves.

Common Name:                  Horse Purslane
Botanical Name:     Trianthema protulacastrum
Family:                                  Alzoaceae
Habitat:                                 Cultivated areas.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is green to red in colour
ii.                 It is hairless except for small lines of hairs nears the leaves.
iii.               Solidarity flower occur in leaf axile 

Common Name:                  Wire Grass
Botanical Name:     Eleusine indica
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Fields, lawns and along the roads.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is evergreen in colour
ii.                 It has a short growth
iii.               It grows all year round

Common Name:                  Day Flower
Botanical Name:     Commelina lukei
Family:                                  Commelinaceae
Habitat:                                 Gardens and yards.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    The round stems are smooth and hairless.
ii.                 It can be erect or spraw across the ground like vine.
iii.               Upper edge of the sheath is usually hairless.
iv.               Their margins are smooth and veins runs parallel to each other.

Common Name:                  Para Grass
Botanical Name:     Brachiara mutica
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Acidic and normal soil.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It is a perennial grass.
ii.                 It can grow up to 1m or taller.
iii.               It has horizontal stems called stolons.
iv.               Its inflorescence grows on a primary axis.

Common Name:                  Small Flower Weed
Botanical Name:     Cyperus differus 
Family:                                  Cyperacae
Habitat:                                 Garden and lawns.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    it is a long plant of about 5cm long.
ii.                 It has a tufted grass.

Common Name:                  Ground burnot
Botanical Name:     Tribillus lerresteris  
Family:                                  Zygophllaceae
Habitat:                                 Lawns
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a biennial herb.
ii.                 It has small leaves that cluster in the stem.
iii.               It is always evergreen.
iv.               It is a weed of up to 3cm length.

Common Name:                  Guinea Grass
Botanical Name:     Panicum  maximum
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Both acidic and normal soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a tufted perennial grass
ii.                 It is usually in large bunches
iii.               It has a large flat green leaves

Common Name:                  Spiny Amaranth
Botanical Name:     Amaranthus spinosus
Family:                                  Amarantacene
Habitat:                                 It is commonly found in field.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a herbaceous weed with broad leaves
ii.                 It grows annually.
iii.               Its colour is from green to red.

Common Name:                  Fire plant
Botanical Name:     Euphorbia   heterophylla 
Family:                                  Euphorbiceae
Habitat:                                 Fertile soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a hardy specie growing between 30-70cm in height.
ii.                 Its false flowers are located in clusters.
iii.               They have no petals.
iv.               It is resistant to herbicide.

Common Name:                  London Rocket
Botanical Name:     Sisymbrium irio
Family:                                  Brassicaceae
Habitat:                                 Acidic and normal soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It is a green weed of about 5cm long.
ii.                 It has medium sized leaf.

Common Name:                  Snap Weed
Botanical Name:     Mimosa pudica 
Family:                                  Fabaceae
Habitat:                                 Acidic and normal soil.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It shrinks upon touch.
ii.                 It is always evergreen.
iii.               Its branches spread quickly on the ground.
iv.               It flowers sometimes.
v.                  The leaves are bipinnately compound.
vi.               The stem is erect in young plant but becomes creeping with age.

Common Name:                  Water Grass
Botanical Name:     Commelina diffusa 
Family:                                  Commelinaceae
Habitat:                                 It grows on shallow water.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    Its leaves can be underwater to 3 feet
ii.                 It is a perennial grass
iii.               It forms dense colonies in shallow water

Common Name:                  Saw Grass
Botanical Name:     Cladium jamaicensa 
Family:                                  Cyperaceae
Habitat:                                 It is mostly found in wet areas
Descriptive of Characteristics: 
i.                    It is a tall grass
ii.                 It grows only on wet region

Common Name:                  Arrow Head
Botanical Name:     Sagittaria sagittifolia 
Family:                                  Alisamataceae
Habitat:                                 They live in water
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                         They are hard and tender
ii.                      The leaves are shaped like an arrow head

Common Name:                  Water Shield
Botanical Name:     Brasenia Schreberi 
Family:                                  Cabombaceae
Habitat:                                 It survives in clear, acid water in depths up to 5                         feet.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It has small flowers sometimes.
ii.                 Its leaves are green
iii.               It is a perennial plant with small floating oval leaves
iv.               ducks consumed its leaves
v.                  Its roots are consumed    

Common Name:                  Water fern
Botanical Name:     Azola filiculoideslam
Family:                                  Azollaceae
Habitat:                                 It lives in still and slow flowing water.
Descriptive Characteristics:
i.                    It is a small free floating fresh water fern
ii.                 It is green to reddish brown in colour
iii.               It branches freely and breaks into small sections as it grows

Common Name:                  Alligator Weed
Botanical Name:     Alternathera philoxeroids 
Family:                                  Amaranthaceae
Habitat:                                 It can grow on damp soil or on water
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    It has a simple leaf that is elliptic.
ii.                 It can reduce water flow or quality by preventing light penetration.
iii.               It flowers during the warm month.

Common Name:                  Water Pennywort
Botanical Name:     Centella asiatica 
Family:                                  Umbelliferae
Habitat:                                 Water.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    They flow on top of water
ii.                 They are usually in clusters
iii.               They are evergreen in colour

Common Name:                  Chara
Botanical Name:     Chara globularis
Family:                                  Characeae
Habitat:                                 Inside or on top of the water.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    It has articulated stem
ii.                 They flourish in wet places.
iii.               It is a flowerless plant.
iv.               It has whorled branches.               

Common Name:                  Common Reed
Botanical Name:     Phragmites australis
Family:                                  Poaceae
Habitat:                                 Wet land.
Descriptive of Characteristics
i.                    It is a tall perennial grass that can grow over 15 feet in height.           
ii.                 Below grounds, it forms a dense network of roots.

Common Name:                  Water lilies
Botanical Name:     Nymphea   alba
Family:                                  Nympheaaceae 
Habitat:                                 They are mostly found in water
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    They are aquatic rhizomatous perennial herbs.
ii.                 The leaves grow from the rhizome on long petiole
iii.               Most of them float on the surface of the water.
iv.               The blades can be rounded or pointed.
v.                  The flowers rise out of the water or float on the surface.

Common Name:                  Cat Tails
Botanical Name:     Typha   latioflia 
Family:                                  Typhaceae
Habitat:                                 Wet area or in the water.
Descriptive of Characteristic
                                    i.          Its leaves are alternate and mostly based on a                                        simple, jointless stem that bears the flowering                                                     spikes.
                                    ii.         The Planes are monocious, with unisexual                                                          flowers that develop in dense racemens.
                                    iii.       The numerous male flowers from a narrow spike                                               at the top of the vertical stem.

Common Name:                  Water Lettuce
Botanical Name:     Pistia stratiotes
Family:                                  Araceae
Habitat:                                 It lives in water.
Descriptive of Characteristic 
                                    i.          It is a perennial monocotyledon with thick, soft                                                 leaves that form a rosette. 
                                    ii.         It floats on the surface of the water.
                                    iii.       The leaves can be up to 14cm long and have no                                                 stem.
                                    iv.        They are light green with parallel veins.
                                    v.         The flowers are dioecious. 

Common Name:                  Water Spinach
Botanical Name:     Ipomoea aquatica
Family:                                  Convolvulaceae
Habitat:                                 It is found in water.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.          It is grown as a leaf vegetable
ii.         It has shiny green leaves.
iii.         Its stems are 2-3 meters.

Common Name:                  Arrow Arum
Botanical Name:     Peltandra virginica
Family:                                  Araceae
Habitat:                                 It lives in both normal and acidic water
Descriptive of Characteristic:
                                    i.          It is aquatic plant with large thick leaves.
                                    ii.         Leave are shaped like an arrow head.
iii.               It grows in shallow water.
iv.               It is perennial.

Common Name:                  Flat Sedge
Botanical Name:     Cyperus microiria steud 
Family:                                  Cyperaceae
Habitat:                                 Wet lands
Descriptive of Characteristic:
                                    i.          It is cylindrical in length
                                    ii.         It is green in colour
                                    iii.       It has little spores on maturity
                                    iv.        It has a slim long shoot

Common Name:                  Egeria
Botanical Name:     Egeria densa
Family:                                  Hydrocharitaceae 
Habitat:                                 lakes, ponds, streams.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
                                    i.          They can be longer up to 20 feet
                                    ii.         They are usually rooted in the substrate
                                    iii.       The leaves and stems are bright green in colour
v.                  The leaves are usually about 2cm

Common Name:                  Asiatic Day Flower
Botanical Name:     Commelina communis 
Family:                                  Commelinales
Habitat:                                 Water
Descriptive of Characteristic:
                                    i.          It is an annual herb with stems that are typically                                                decumbent.
                                    ii.         The diffusely branched stems tend to root at the                                                basal nodes.
                                    iii.       They may be glabrous basally.
                                    iv.        The leaves are sensile.
vi.               They lack leaf stalk.

Common Name:                  Coontail
Botanical Name:     Ceratophyllum echinatum
Family:                                  Ceratophyllum
Habitat:                                 Lakes, riverine, lacustine.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    Some of its leaves float on water.
ii.                 It has dry fruits.
iii.               The leaf blade is linear.
iv.               Presence of capillary leaf.
v.                  leaf blade length is 15-20mm.

Common Name:                  Mosguito Fern
Botanical Name:     Azolla caroliniana
Family:                                  Salviniaceae
Habitat:                                 Water
Descriptive of Characteristics: 
                                    i.          It branches freely and breaks into smaller                                                           sections as it grows.
                                    ii.         It is green in colours .
                                    iii.       It is a small, free floating freshwater fern.

Common Name:                  Duck weed
Botanical Name:     Lemna minor 
Family:                                  Araceae
Habitat:                                 Wet area and on water.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    They are decious.
ii.                 They are among the smallest of the flowering plant.
iii.               They are free-floating aquatic perennials.
iv.               Duck always like to eat it.

Common Name:                  Star rush
Botanical Name:     Schoenoplectus mucronatus 
Family:                                  Araceae
Habitat:                                 Wet land.
Descriptive of Characteristic: 
i.                    it is a tall perennial grass.
ii.                 There is absence of leave.
iii.               it does not flower.
iv.               it can be use as a foliage.

Common Name:                  Club Rush
Botanical Name:     Scripus atrovirens
Family:                                  Cyperaceae
Habitat:                                 It survives only in water.
Descriptive of Characteristics: 
                                    i.          The stamens and stigmas dangle outside the                                                       flower.
                                    ii.         The flowers are not showy.
iii.       It is a tall grass about 3cm length with a pink                              flower on top of it.

Common Name:                  Water Soldiers
Botanical Name:     Stratiotes aloides
Family:                                  Hydrocharitaceae
Habitat:                                 Ponds and Ditches.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    A native floating plant.
ii.                 It looks like a pine apple head.

Common Name:                  Wild sun Flower
Botanical Name:     Aspilia Africana
Family:                                  Asteraceae
Habitat:                                 Found on both fertile and acidic soil.
Descriptive of Characteristics:
i.                    it has a yellow flower
ii.                 It has a pleasant smeel
iii.               It is used in feeding hares

Common Name:                  Water Leaf
Botanical Name:     Talinum triangulare
Family:                                  Talinaceae
Habitat:                                 Wet Land.
Descriptive of Characteristic:
i.                    An erect fleshy- leafed herb of open ground
ii.                 It flowers on maturity
iii.               It is ever green in colour
iv.               It has a length of about 2-3cm on height at maturity
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