Family: Poaceae
Chloris gayana
Citation:
Kunth, Rev. Gram. 293 (1830).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Rhodes grass.
Description:
Erect largely glabrous perennial, often stoloniferous, 45-120 cm high; leaf blades flat, to 6 mm broad; culms simple or branched.
Spikes subdigitate, 8-17, suberect, 7-10 cm long; spikelets crowded; glumes membranous or hyaline, the first c. 1 mm long, the second 2.5-3.3 mm long; usually the lowest floret bisexual, the second male and 1 or 2 sterile; lemmas cartilaginous, the first (fertile) obscurely lobed, c. 3 mm long, pubescent on the submarginal nerves in the lower part and ciliate above with stiff white hairs to 1 mm long, awn c. 3 mm long, second lemma awned, obtuse or truncate, upper lemmas awnless, obtuse or truncate.
Published illustration:
Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 74.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: LE, NU, GT, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE. All mainland States. Native to Africa.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: March — July.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Uses:
Introduced as a pasture grass and believed by Black to be of value in sand-binding.
Author:
Not yet available
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