African Rice (Oryza glaberrima)
Description
Oryza glaberrima, commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown in West Africa, and was brought to the Americas by enslaved West African rice farmers. It is now largely a subsistence crop, rarely sold in markets even in West Africa. While it has been partly replaced by higher-yielding Asian rice, and the number of varieties grown is declining, it persists, making up an estimated 20% of rice grown in West Africa. By comparison to Asian rice, it is hardy, pest-resistant, low-labour, suited to a variety of African conditions, filling, and has a distinct nutty flavour. It is also grown for cultural reasons; for instance, it is sacred to awasena followers among the Jola people, and is a heritage variety in the United States. Crossbreeding between African and Asian rice is difficult, but there exist some crosses.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Poales
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Family: Poaceae
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Genus: Oryza
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