halfa grass

From Arabic حَلْفَا (ḥalfā).

halfa grass (countable and uncountable, plural halfa grasses)

1. A north African and south Asian grass, Desmostachya bipinnata, with tough stems woven into rope, sandals, mats, etc., and sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism and other religions.

   Synonym: kusha grass

2. Other north African grasses with similar uses, such as sparto (Stipa tenacissima and Lygeum sparticum) and cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica)