Common name: Red Natal Grass
Melinis repens (Willd.) Zizka APNI* Synonyms: Rhynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C.E.Hubb. APNI*
Description: Tufted annual or perennial to 1.2 m high.
Leaves with ligule a ciliate rim with hairs to 2 mm long; blade flat or folded, 3–6 mm wide, glabrous or with tubercle-based hairs to 1 mm long.
Inflorescence open, 7–17 cm long, to 0.7 cm wide, hairy; hairs pink, red or shining white. Spikelets 3–5 mm long, to 2 mm wide (excluding awn and hairs), florets 2, lower floret male, upper floret bisexual. Lower glume < 1 mm long, with hairs to 1.5 mm long; upper 3–5 mm long (excluding awn and hair), with hairs to 5 mm long, 2-lobed, sometimes with an awn to 4 mm long from sinus. Male lemma 3–5 mm long (excluding awn and hair), 2-toothed, with tubercle-based hairs to 5 mm long, sometimes with a subterminal awn to 3 mm long; palea subequal to lemma. Bisexual lemma 2–3 mm long, 2-toothed, awnless, shiny; palea subequal to lemma.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows on roadsides and waste places. Native of Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *NWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *W.A. *N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & K. L. McClay
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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