''Digitaria iburua'', commonly known as iburu, is a grass species native to west and west-central tropical Africa, which is cultivated as a grain crop known as black
fonio
Fonio is the term for two cultivated grasses in the genus '' Digitaria'' that are notable crops in parts of West Africa. They are millets with small grains.
Fonio is a nutritious food with a favorable taste. It is consumed mainly in West Afric ...
.
Iburu (''D. iburua'') is closely related to white
fonio
Fonio is the term for two cultivated grasses in the genus '' Digitaria'' that are notable crops in parts of West Africa. They are millets with small grains.
Fonio is a nutritious food with a favorable taste. It is consumed mainly in West Afric ...
('' D. exilis''), a cereal that is more widely grown across West Africa. However, Iburu is taller than fonio, but has smaller grain than fonio. This makes harvesting the grains very labor intensive. Iburu is mainly grown in the
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt or Central Nigeria) is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is ...
of central
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languages
See also
*'' Digitaria compacta'', raishan, used as a grain crop in northeast India
*'' Digitaria exilis'', white fonio, also used as a grain crop in West Africa
*''
Digitaria longiflora
''Digitaria longiflora'' is a species of crabgrass. It is the wild progenitor of the West African domesticated crop ''Digitaria exilis
''Digitaria exilis'', referred to as findi or fundi in areas of Africa, such as The Gambia, with English com ...
'', the wild progenitor of ''Digitaria exilis''
*'' Digitaria sanguinalis'', considered a weed around the world, but traditionally used as a grain crop in Europe