Rajasthan's grasses come up regularly in the Rajasthan GK sections of RPSC, RAS, Patwari and REET papers, and this page covers the species that matter most for those exams. In the arid west, Sewan dominates the open pastures of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner and makes up about 80 per cent of the Thar's grassland. Ganthil survives where other grasses fail and is a staple feed for camels, while Murat binds loose sand and helps hold the dunes in place. Doob, found almost everywhere in the state, spreads through creeping stems and protects soil from erosion. Other grasses are valued less as fodder than as material: Khas roots are woven into cooling screens, and Munj fibre is twisted into rope and baskets. Each question below includes the answer and a short explanation, with the botanical names and districts examiners most often ask about.
Q1
In which districts of Rajasthan are the extensive Sewan grass pastures found?
Explanation
Sewan is the dominant perennial fodder grass of the hot arid zone of western Rajasthan, with open pasture spread across Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner. Its drought tolerance has earned it the name king of desert grasses.
In Rajasthan, the fragrant screens hung in doorways during summer are made from the roots of which grass?
Explanation
The roots of khas yield an aromatic oil and are woven into screens which, sprinkled with water, cool and scent the air. The same roots are worked into mats, hand fans and baskets, a craft use recorded for centuries.
In Rajasthan, the fibre of which grass is used to make rope, matting and baskets?
Explanation
Munj yields a strong fibre from the upper leaf sheaths of its flowering stems, which is twisted into rope. The coarser lower portions go into winnowing trays, mats, baskets and light stools, making it a mainstay of rural craft.
What is the botanical name of Murat grass found on the sand dunes of Rajasthan's Thar desert?
Explanation
Murat grows on the sandy dunes and plains of the Thar. A tufted grass reaching about 75 cm, it has a thin erect stem and is traced in origin to Africa, from where it spread through the dry tropics.
Which of the following grasses is held to play the main role in checking the shifting of sand dunes in Rajasthan?
Explanation
The roots of Murat bind sand particles and hold dunes in place. The grass is spread mainly across dune country, sandy plains and the cultivated tracts of the Thar, where loose sand moves with the wind.
In India, Murat grass is found mainly in the Thar desert tracts of which two states?
Explanation
Murat occurs across much of India but concentrates in the sandy stretches of the Thar. It is a grass of hot, dry and subtropical country, and its origin is placed in Africa.
What is the botanical name of Doob grass (hariyali) found almost everywhere in Rajasthan?
Explanation
Doob is also called Bermuda grass or hariyali. A spreading perennial with small soft leaves, it is grazed readily by cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and horses, and doubles as an effective soil binder.
Doob does set seed, but seed plays no part in its spread. It advances through rhizomes and creeping stolons, which is also why it binds loose soil so well and forms a continuous ground cover.
Which grass is found across almost all of Rajasthan and is regarded as a good soil binder?
Explanation
Doob is found in nearly every part of Rajasthan. A spreading perennial held to be Indian in origin, it advances through rhizomes and creeping stolons, which is why it binds loose soil so well and is valued for checking erosion.
Which of the following grasses is held to have originated in India?
Explanation
Doob is held to have originated in India, spreading from there to Burma, the United States and almost every tropical country. It is a low spreading perennial rather than a tall tufted grass.
What is the botanical name of Makra grass commonly seen in the rural areas of Rajasthan?
Explanation
Makra appears in older literature as Eleusine aegyptiaca. An annual of African origin, its upward-pointing branches reach about 30 cm, and it now occurs in nearly all tropical and subtropical countries.
On what kind of land does Makra grass come up readily in Rajasthan?
Explanation
Makra establishes easily on hilly ground and wasteland and is managed through seed. It can be seen without difficulty across all the rural parts of Rajasthan and carries about 6 to 7 per cent crude protein.
Which grass becomes the main feed for animals such as sheep and goats during famine in Rajasthan?
Explanation
In famine years Makra sustains sheep and goats. An annual grass, it is dried and fed as hay, and its crude fibre content runs to about 40 to 42 per cent with ether extract near 1 per cent.
What is the botanical name of Ganthil, a leading grass of Rajasthan's desert tracts?
Explanation
Ganthil is also recorded as Eleusine compressa. A small creeping perennial, it thrives chiefly on sandy ground and is a favoured fodder of camels in the desert districts of western Rajasthan.
In which part of Rajasthan is Ganthil grass mainly found?
Explanation
Ganthil occurs in Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu and Jodhpur. It is a principal grass of the desert country and establishes itself where other grasses fail to grow.
Which grass grows in Rajasthan's desert areas where other grasses fail, and is greatly preferred by camels?
Explanation
Ganthil holds on in the harshest desert conditions and forms a main feed for camels and sheep. It is a small creeping perennial of sandy ground that spreads low over the surface rather than growing tall.
Which of the following is a main fodder grass of western Rajasthan?
Explanation
Lamp is an annual grass of low-rainfall dry country, seen on hill slopes and along roadsides. It is a staple feed for sheep and goats, is also relished by camels, and carries about 5 to 6 per cent crude protein.
Ganthil is a small creeping perennial that persists on sandy ground season after season. In the desert districts of western Rajasthan it serves as a main feed for camels and sheep alike.
What is the botanical name of Sewan grass found in the extremely arid parts of western Rajasthan?
Explanation
Sewan is a rhizomatous perennial grass of the hot arid north-west, growing up to 2 m tall. Once well established and protected, a stand can persist for as long as twenty years.
In which districts of Rajasthan is Sewan-dominated open pasture land mainly spread?
Explanation
Sewan-dominated open pasture covers roughly 6 million hectares in western Rajasthan. Desert cattle favour it for its nutritive value, its fodder carrying about 4.6 per cent crude protein.
Sewan grass thrives well in areas receiving how much annual rainfall?
Explanation
Sewan grows on sandy plains, low dunes and hummocks and tolerates prolonged drought. A warm-season grass, its fodder carries about 4.6 per cent crude protein and 31 per cent crude fibre.
Which grassland type occupies the largest area among the pasturelands of Rajasthan's Thar desert?
Explanation
The Sewan type covers about 80 per cent of the Thar's grassland area. Sewan commonly grows in association with Cenchrus and Panicum species as part of the vegetation cover of the arid zone.