A rice-like wild plant growing naturally across a four-kilometre stretch of Dimer Char in the Sundarbans has drawn the attention of agricultural officials, who plan to investigate its identity, nutritional value, and potential agricultural applications.
Located near the sea, the remote char is home to Royal Bengal tigers, deer, lesser adjutants, jungle fowl, and other wildlife. It is also known for its large populations of red crabs and diverse birdlife.
Locally known as ‘dhanshi’, the plant grows in the highly saline coastal environment. Its long, slender seed heads resemble those of rice, and its elongated grains sometimes have light brown or reddish-brown husks. When pressed, mature seeds appear to yield rice-like grains.
Fishermen who regularly travel to the sea say they have observed the plant for years. They have noticed milky grains inside immature seeds and rice-like grains when the seeds ripen. However, they do not know whether the grains are suitable for human consumption or have any nutritional value.
As Dimer Char falls within the Sundarbans, harvesting the plant could also raise legal concerns. For now, the plant grows undisturbed in its natural habitat, and its seeds serve as food for birds.
Chandan, a forest official at the Kochikhali station, said the plant grows naturally across about four kilometres of the char. “Three tigers and countless deer inhabit the area. Dimer Char is also known as a kingdom of birds. This rice-like plant grows naturally in the saline environment,” he said, adding that research into the plant could be beneficial.
Md Motahar Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Bagerhat, said he learned about the plant after joining the district and later gathered information about its natural growth.
He said preliminary observations suggested that the plant was highly salt-tolerant, although its seed yield appeared to be very low. The department has shared information about it with rice research authorities and plans to investigate its suitability for human consumption, nutritional properties, and potential for developing new varieties.
Rifat Jahan Usha, an assistant professor at Khulna Agricultural University, said the plant belongs to the Poaceae family of grasses. She said its nutritional value and taste would need to be assessed to determine its suitability for consumption.
An AI-assisted search suggested that the plant could be smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), a perennial grass commonly found in saline coastal wetlands, estuaries, and muddy lowlands. Despite its resemblance to rice, it is not a conventional rice crop.
The plant's identity must be scientifically confirmed before researchers can assess its nutritional value or determine whether it has potential for use in developing salt-tolerant crops.