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:  S.Aust.: LE, NU, GT, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   All mainland States.   Native to Africa. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: March — July.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Uses: Introduced as a pasture grass and believed by Black to be of value in sand-binding.

Author: Not yet available