Gelagah

Gelagah (Saccharum spontaneum) 

Gelagah (Saccharum spontaneum) or Tibarau is a type of large grass belonging to the Poaceae family. This reed grass, which is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, is also known by various regional names, including galoga, bantu, bona ni bantu (Bat.); gelagah, tebu salah (Mly.); galagah, kalagah]. In English it is called Wild cane or Kans grass.

A. Taxomical information

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Poales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Saccharum

Species: S. spontaneum

B. Morphological/distribution/habitat info

• Morphology

Gelagah (Saccharum spontaneum L.) is a tall grass from the Poaceae family. The stems are upright, hollow, and strong, growing up to 2–4 meters tall (Garg, 2015). The leaves are long, narrow, and rough, with sharp edges and a white midline (Dlium, 2020).

The plant has thick underground rhizomes that help it spread quickly and form dense clumps (Patel et al., 2016). Its flowers form large, white, and fluffy plumes that rise above the leaves (Sharma et al., 2022). Gelagah usually grows in open areas near rivers and roadsides, especially in warm and wet places (Singh et al., 2014).

• Distribution 

A widely distributed grass species found across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific (Garg, 2015). It grows naturally in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines (Patel et al., 2016).

In Malaysia, Gelagah is commonly found in riverbanks, wetlands, open fields, and roadsides, especially in lowland and coastal areas (Dlium, 2020). The plant prefers moist, sandy, or alluvial soils and areas with high rainfall, but it can also survive in disturbed or dry lands (Sharma et al., 2022). Due to its rapid growth and strong rhizomes, Gelagah often becomes dominant in open or disturbed ecosystems (Singh et al., 2014).

• Habitat Info

It usually grows in open, sunny areas, such as riverbanks, floodplains, wetlands, roadsides, and grasslands (Patel et al., 2016). It prefers moist, sandy, or alluvial soils and is commonly found near water sources, such as rivers and streams (Dlium, 2020). However, it can also survive in dry or disturbed areas, including abandoned farmland and construction sites (Garg, 2015).

This grass grows well in tropical and subtropical climates with high rainfall and can be found from sea level to an altitude of approximately 1,700 meters (Singh et al., 2014). Its strong rhizome system helps it to spread quickly and dominate open or recently disturbed habitats (Sharma et al., 2022).

C. Traditional Uses/TK-related info 

• medicine and daily life 

The roots are used in traditional medicine to treat fever, urinary problems, and inflammation (Patel et al., 2016; Sharma et al., 2022). People also boil the roots to make a drink that helps cool the body (Garg, 2015). 

• roofing, fencing, mats, and handicrafts

The stems and leaves of dried gelagah are used as animal food and firewood (Singh et al., 2014). Because it has strong roots, people also plant it near rivers and slopes to stop soil erosion (Sharma et al., 2022) 

D. Any related scientific studies, such as ecology/ conservation status/threats/diversity 

Multiple genetic studies have reported high genetic and cytological diversity across geographic populations of S. spontaneum; this diversity underpins both its adaptive success and its utility in crop breeding programs.