Uses of graminaceous plants as food by man in West Africa

Abstract

The family Gramineae, with over 7 000 species is the fifth largest family in the plant kingdom, and has over the years played a very important role in providing food for man in the form of cereals among which the most important and well-known examples are rice, wheat, maize and others.

The principal graminaceous plants in man’s diet in West Africa are rice (Oryza spp.); maize (Zea mays L.) and a variety of species belonging to the sorghums and millets (species of Pennisetum, Digitaria and Eleusine). Plants collected in times of famine include species of  Echinochloa, Panicum, Paspalum etc.