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Why is a certain grass called "flame grass"? Uncover the secret of the flame grass!
In tropical and subtropical ecosystems, there is a kind of grass known as the "grass of fire" because of its extremely high flammability and strong adaptability. That grass is Manila grass (Imperata cylindrica), a perennial rhizome grass native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa, southern Europe, and Australia. With the expansion of human activities, Manila grass has been introduced to Latin America, the Caribbean, and the southeastern United States.
Manilla grass is widely recognized as a highly flammable grass that can quickly colonize disturbed areas and spark more frequent wildfires through its ability to multiply rapidly.
Manila grass has striking morphological features, reaching a height of up to three meters with a strong trunk covered in long white hairs. Its root system is extensive and accounts for 60% of the total plant biomass. It can be seen that Manila grass is not just an ordinary plant, its adaptability and reproductive ability allow it to survive in a variety of environments, including wetlands and dry areas with soil pH ranging from 4 to 7.5.
Although Manila grass can be exploited in some situations, such as as roofing material for traditional buildings, its status as an invasive species makes it of great concern. In the southeastern United States, the expansion of manila grass puts many native plants at risk because it not only competes with them for resources but also releases chemicals that inhibit their growth.
Because Manila grass burns well, the regular fires it relies on can help spread it and maintain its ecological advantage even if it is not withered.
While the government has introduced a range of control measures, such as the use of herbicides, to curb the spread of manilagrass, the grass's deep root system and extremely resilient nature make complete elimination a daunting task. In fact, manila grass has even become a protected species in some areas, seemingly at odds with its original intention of being introduced as livestock feed and to prevent soil erosion.
Worryingly, Manilagrass' high flammability makes its behavior more unpredictable during extreme weather conditions and causes unintended impacts on forest ecosystems. In many disturbed areas, Manila grass quickly fills in the gaps, forming dense monoculture communities, further aggravating the imbalance of ecological mechanisms.
It has been mentioned in many literatures that Manilagrass provides extremely high fuel loads for wildfires due to its high density of vegetation and abundant biomass.
Each wildfire not only destroys competing grass species, but also provides conditions for further expansion of manilagrass. It has been observed that Manila grass can quickly reoccupy the burned area after a fire by relying on a root network that was not affected by the fire.
In addition to being a preferred plant for building materials and ground covers, Manila grass also plays an important role in traditional medicine. Research has shown that the starches and sugars contained in the roots can be harnessed, and preliminary research suggests it may have anti-cancer potential.
Whenever we try to expel the presence of Manila grass, we can’t help but wonder: At some point, its ability to adapt and its will to survive will make it become another “fire” that coexists with us? Will it be part of the balance considerations between humans and nature?
