napier grass

noun

1. a tall, leafy grass, Pennisetum purpureum, native to Africa, grown as a forage plant.

Word History and Origins

Origin of napier grass¹

First recorded in 1910–15; after Napier, South Africa

Example Sentences

Plai Ekachai wakes each day on a mound facing the portrait of the king and starts his day by eating Napier grass.

From Reuters

The ground beneath the canopy is almost bare but Mr Kariuki has planted napier grass, some arrow roots and maize a short distance away.

From BBC

The “pull” comes from Napier grass, which attracts moths looking to lay their eggs, planted around the edge of the field to keep the moths away from the corn.

From Slate

Among examples, thousands of Kenyan farmers were planting insect-repelling desmodium or tick clover, used as animal fodder, within corn fields to keep damaging insects away and sowed small plots of napier grass nearby that excretes a sticky gum to trap pests.

From Scientific American