Description
Imperata cylindrica is seen by the Tiv mainly as a stubborn grass of the land — useful for thatch and minor remedies, but largely feared by farmers because it destroys crops.
Medicinal Uses
Roots (rhizomes) sometimes boiled and used traditionally for:
Fever
Body weakness
Urination problems
Use is limited and cautious, not a major medicinal plant in Tiv culture
Food Uses
Not a common food plant among the Tiv
Occasionally, young roots may be chewed by children in the bush, but not a staple
Ritual / Cultural Uses
No strong ritual or spiritual role in Tiv tradition
Mostly viewed as a farm weed, not a sacred plant
Cultivation
Spreads aggressively through underground roots
Very hard to eliminate once established on Tiv farmlands
