Agriculture – SS2: Common Weeds Found In Farms

Weeds

Weed is any plant that grows in a place where it is not expected to grow or plant which grows out of place.A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, “a plant in the wrong place”

Common Name: Spear grass

Botanical Name: Heteropogoncontorous

Family: Poaceae

Habitat: They grow on poor soil as well as soil with high acidity.

Description of Characteristics:

1. They are cool seasoned tufted perennial grasses
2. The foliage grows from 10 -20cm high.
3. 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:

1. It is about 1-3m long
2. It can be erect or spraw across the ground like vine .
3.  The round stems are smooth and hairless.
4. Their margins are smooth and veins runs parallel to each other .
5. Upper edge of the sheath is usually hairless.
6. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a tall grass.
2. It grows in dense clumps of up to 10 feet tall.
3. In the savannah of Africa, it grows along lake beds and rivers where the soil is rich.
4. They are yellowish or purple in colour .
5. The stems are coarse and hairy
6. The leaves are 2-3 feet long
7. 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

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a scrambling vine growing to at least 8 meters in height.
2. Its leaves are heart shaped.
3. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. The reddish stems of this weed are usually simple .
2. The leaves are entire and pinnately veined.
3. The radically symmetrical flower has four magneta to pink petals.

Common Name: Wild snake gourd

Botanical Name: Trichosanthes cveumerina 

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Habitat: Wet region.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a green vegetable with broad leaf
2. 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. 

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a large, long-live grass reaching up to 4cm in height
2. Its stems are robust and are quite hairy.
3. 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

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a perennial evergreen grass.
2. It is grating at the rate of 0.3m by 0.5m at a medium rate.
3.  Its blades are grey-green colour.
4. Its blades are short.

Common Name: Balrush

Botanical Name: Scipsus tuberasus

Family: Cyperaceae

Habitat: It lives in humid habitat.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a long flower grass between 4-6cm
2. Its flowering period is between March- October.

Common Name: Swinecrees

Botanical Name: Coronopus didymus  

Family: Brassicaceae

Habitat: commonly seen in garden and road sides.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It grows all year round.
2. It has broad leaf.

Common Name: False Daisy 

Botanical Name: Eclipla alba

Family: Asteraceae 

Habitat: Gardens and Roadsides

Description of Characteristics:

1. It has a broad leaf.
2. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a deep rooted weed.
2. It has small leaf.
3. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. They are cool seasoned tufted perennial grasses.
2. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a perennial grass without rhizomes .
2. There is absence of seed.

Common Name: Neetle leaf goosefoot

Botanical Name: Chenopodium murale

Family: Amaranthaceae

Habitat: Fields and Roadsides.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is an annual weed of up to 70cm in height.
2. the oval to triangular leaves are toothed and broad .
3. The inflorescence are powdery clusters of spherical buds.

Common Name: Rhodes Grass

Botanical Name: Chloris gayama

Family: Poaceae

Habitat: It strives in normal soil.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is 1-2m tall
2. It spreads by root runners
3. It is a poor water logging tolerant weed
4. It requires high fertility to survive

Common Name: Winter Wild Oat

Botanical Name: Avena serillis spp

Family: Poaceae

Habitat: Dry and wet soils.

Description of Characteristics:

1. it is a long weed of about 7cm long .
2. It is an erect perennial grass.

Common Name: Croton

Botanical Name: Cordiaeum variegatum 

Family: Eurphorbiaceae

Habitat: Moonsoon forest, Hills and Rainforest

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is evergreen leaves .
2. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. The compound leaf are arranged spirally.
2. It is a herb that grows up to 5 feet tall.
3.  It is spreading with numerous ascending, hairless branches.

Common Name: Leaf flower

Botanical Name: Phyllanthus mirabilis

Family: Phyllantheae

Habitat: Commonly found on roadsides.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a short grown herb.
2. It has short leaves.

Common Name: Horse Purslane

Botanical Name: Trianthema protulacastrum

Family: Alzoaceae

Habitat: Cultivated areas.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is green to red in colour
2. It is hairless except for small lines of hairs nears the leaves.
3.  Solidarity flower occur in leaf axile 

Common Name: Wire Grass

Botanical Name: Eleusine indica

Family: Poaceae

Habitat: Fields, lawns and along the roads.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is evergreen in colour
2. It has a short growth
3. It grows all year round

Common Name: Day Flower

Botanical Name: Commelina lukei

Family: Commelinaceae

Habitat: Gardens and yards.

Description of Characteristics:

1. The round stems are smooth and hairless.
2. It can be erect or spraw across the ground like vine.
3. Upper edge of the sheath is usually hairless.
4. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a perennial grass.
2. It can grow up to 1m or taller.
3. It has horizontal stems called stolons.
4. Its inflorescence grows on a primary axis.

Common Name: Small Flower Weed

Botanical Name: Cyperus differus 

Family: Cyperacae

Habitat: Garden and lawns.

Description of Characteristics:

1. it is a long plant of about 5cm long.
2. It has  tufted grass.

Common Name: Ground burnot

Botanical Name: Tribillus lerresteris

Family: Zygophllaceae

Habitat: Lawns

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a biennial herb.
2. It has small leaves that cluster in the stem.
3. It is always evergreen.
4. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a tufted perennial grass
2. It is usually in large bunches
3. It has a large flat green leaves

Common Name: Spiny Amaranth

Botanical Name: Amaranthus spinosus

Family: Amarantacene

Habitat:It is commonly found in field.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It is a herbaceous weed with broad leaves
2. It grows annually.
3.  Its colour ranges from green to red.

Common Name: Fire plant

Botanical Name: Euphorbia   heterophylla 

Family: Euphorbiceae

Habitat: Fertile soil.

Description of Characteristics:

1. A hardy specie growing between 30-70cm in height.
2. Its false flowers are located in clusters.
3. They have no petals.
4. Resistant to herbicide.

Common Name: Snap Weed

Botanical Name: Mimosa pudica 

Family: Fabaceae

Habitat: Acidic and normal soil.

Description of Characteristics:

1. It shrinks upon touch.
2. It is always evergreen.
3. Its branches spread quickly on the ground.
4. It flowers sometimes.
5. The leaves are bipinnately compound.
6. 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.

Description of Characteristics:

1. Its leaves can be underwater to 3 feet
2. It is a perennial grass
3. 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

Description of Characteristics: 

1. It is a tall grass
2. It grows only on wet region

Common Name: Alligator Weed

Botanical Name: Alternathera philoxeroids 

Family: Amaranthaceae

Habitat: It can grow on damp soil or on water

Description of Characteristics:

1. It has a simple leaf which is elliptic.
2. It can reduce water flow or quality by preventing light penetration.
3. It flowers during the warm month

Common Name: Wild sun Flower

Botanical Name: Aspilia Africana

Family: Asteraceae

Habitat: Found on both fertile and acidic soil.

Description of Characteristics:

1. it has a yellow flower
2. It has a pleasant smell
3. It is used in feeding hares

Common Name: Water Leaf

Botanical Name: Talinum triangulare

Family: Talinaceae

Habitat: Wet Land.

Description of Characteristics:

1. An erect fleshy- leafed herb of open ground
2. It flowers on maturity
3. Ever green in colour
4. Length is about 2-3cm in height at maturity