Common name: Chilean needlegrass, Chilean needle grass
Nassella neesiana (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth APNI* Synonyms: Stipa neesiana Trin. & Rupr. APNI*
Description: Caespitose perennial to c. 0.8 (-1.2) m high.
Leaves with ligule sometimes almost absent on lower leaves, otherwise truncate to obtuse, membranous, 0.5–3 mm long, with tufts of hairs at the sides; auricles thickened, sparsely hairy to glabrous; blade expanded to loosely inrolled, 2–2.5 mm wide, hirsute, margins scabrous.
Panicle exserted, contracted, 10–40 cm long. Spikelets gaping, 14–18 mm long. Lower glume 14–18 mm long, 3-nerved; upper 10–18 mm long, 3–5-nerved. Lemma 6–10 mm long, with 1 involute margin coarsely scabrous with crystalline tubercles; lobes absent; corona c. 1–1.5 mm long with spines on the upper margin. Callus 2.5–3.5 mm long, weakly bent at the tip, densely silky. Awn bent 2 or 3 times, 41–85 mm long. Palea 20–25% the length of the lemma.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows along roadsides and watercourses, in pastures, parks and disturbed woodland. Native of S America.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SC, *SWS, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Vic. *S.A.
A tussock grass that can be highly invasive in native grasslands. See also Weeds in Australia profile compiled by P.G. Kodela (2007).
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & J. Everett; revised by P.G. Kodela (July 2012)
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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