Teff

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Teff
• Abyssinian love grass
• teff grass

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cynodon abyssinicus
• Poa tef
• Poa abyssinica
• Poa radicans
• Eragrostis tef f. spiciformis
• Eragrostis tef subsp. spiciformis
• Eragrostis pilosa var. tef
• Eragrostis pilosa subsp. abyssinica
• Eragrostis abyssinica
• Eragrostis abyssinica var. alba
• Eragrostis abyssinica var. viriidis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Eragrostis tef, belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Poales. Finally, it is a member of the family Poaceae and the genus Eragrostis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging presence across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes the territories of Denmark and Great Britain. Moving toward the center of the continent, the species can be found within the borders of Belgium. It also maintains a steady presence throughout Middle Europe, specifically in Germany. Furthermore, its geographical reach extends into the region of Czechia-Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Eragrostis tef is characterized by its ability to thrive across a vast altitudinal gradient, ranging from low-lying areas at 5 m AMSL to higher elevations reaching a maximum of 1900 m AMSL. Its distribution is closely linked to anthropogenic environments, as it is frequently found within "Área Antrópica," indicating a strong association with human-modified landscapes and agricultural settings. This adaptability to varying elevations and human-disturbed habitats allows the species to colonize diverse ecological niches within its geographic range.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

5 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Eragrostis tef is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire biological development—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its life form is defined by its strategy of surviving unfavorable environmental conditions through the production of seeds, which remain dormant until conditions become favorable for the next generation. This life form allows the plant to rapidly exploit seasonal moisture and nutrients, ensuring its survival in various ecological niches by bypassing stressful periods in its seed state.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Eragrostis tef is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody, graminoid herb. It is a terrestrial and independent plant that does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite, maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.07 m to a maximum of 0.6 m, though it reaches a mean height of approximately 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.07 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Eragrostis tef is characterized by a specific carbon assimilation strategy and nutrient acquisition profile. This plant utilizes a C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows for enhanced efficiency in carbon fixation and water-use effectiveness, particularly under high light intensities and elevated temperatures, compared to C3 or CAM plants. Regarding its nutritional interaction with the soil, Eragrostis tef is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the availability of inorganic nitrogen sources in the soil rather than establishing symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Reproduction

The reproduction of Eragrostis tef is characterized by an abiotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on wind for the transfer of pollen. This reliance on wind as a primary mechanism is consistent across its pollination profiles. The plant is capable of successful reproduction through self-fertilization, which is present within its biological processes. Regarding its reproductive output, the seeds produced are remarkably uniform in size; the seed mass is highly consistent, with a minimum, mean, and maximum mass all recorded at 3e-04 g.

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Seed mass mean:

3e-04 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Eragrostis tef has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic.

Antidiabetic

1. Omics : a journal of integrative biology