Poaceae

MONOCOTYLEDONS

POACEAE - Grass Family

Catapodium rigidum (wasDesmazeria rigida) (rigid fescue) is an erect, rigid annual to 20cm with glabrous, inrolled leaves to 10cm and an erect, linear to narrowly ovate, one-sided panicle 1-8cm long. It flowers in spring, and is naturalised on wasteland from Perth to Bremer Bay. Native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. C. marinum has recently been found on the beach at Albany and in Perth. It has more dense, raceme-like panicles and grows on sandy soil. Native to Europe.

Catapodium rigidum , GK

Cenchrus biflorus (gallons curse) is an erect annual to 1m. The inflorescence is up to 20cm long and is produced in summer and winter. It is a widespread weed of the western Kimberley, in pindan and vine thickets and along the Fitzroy River, and less so in the eastern Kimberley. Native to warm temperate and tropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere.

Cenchrus ciliaris (buffel grass) in table drain, Carnarvon. PH,

C. ciliaris (buffel grass) is a tufted, often tussocking perennial, to 1m tall. The inflorescence is cylindrical, with purplish flowers produced for much of the year. Widely planted in pastoral regions as a pasture grass, it has become a widespread weed of roadsides, creeklines, river edges and most vegetation types from Shark Bay to the Pilbara and adjacent desert. In the Murchison and Gascoyne regions it often colonises roadside table drains, excluding native everlastings and consequently causing detriment to the ecotourism industry. Found in the south-west on roadsides used by stock trucks from the north. It continues to spread, in the north and south, both naturally and through deliberate establishment. Native to Africa and India. (This taxon is sometimes considered to comprise two species, C. ciliaris and
C. pennisetiformis, the latter having the fruit bristles fused for a greater length.)

C. ciliaris , PH

C. echinatus (Mossman River grass) PP is an annual to 1m tall, with a loose panicle of purple flowers, 2-10cm long produced for much of the year. It is found in vine thickets in the Kimberley, and on disturbed ground and road verges extending into the south-west. Native to North and South America. C. incertus (spiny burrgrass) PP is a tufted annual to 80cm. The inflorescence is a loose, spike-like panicle, 2-8cm long. It flowers for most of the year on disturbed ground, road verges and paddocks in the south-west. Native to North and South America.

C. echinatus , PH

C. longispinus (spiny burrgrass) is a tufted annual to 90cm tall. The inflorescence is a compact, spike-like panicle, 1-10cm long. A weed of cultivation and road verges in the wheatbelt, probably under-recorded due to confusion with C. echinatus. Native to North and Central America. C. setiger (Birdwood grass) is a tufted perennial to 80cm tall, with a compact, green, spike-like inflorescence to 20cm long, produced in spring and summer. Established as a fodder plant in pastoral areas, it has become a serious weed of watercourses from Carnarvon to the Kimberley. Native to Africa and India.

C. setiger , PH

Chloris (windmill grasses) have an inflorescence that is usually purplish and composed of numerous digitate spikelets arranged on a short axis. There are several native Chloris species, consult a specialist text for exact identification. C. barbata (purpletop chloris) is an annual or short-lived perennial, to 90cm tall. It is distinguished by having three awns per spikelet (as opposed to two in other Chloris species). It is widespread throughout the Kimberley from Broome to Kununurra, on levee banks, road verges, disturbed sites and creek lines. It flowers in summer and winter and is native to tropical Africa.

Chloris barbata , RR

Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass) is a tufted, stoloniferous perennial, to 1m tall. Used as a summer-growing pasture grass, it is scattered on road verges and disturbed sites throughout southern Western Australia. Flowers in summer and winter, native to tropical Africa.

C. gayana , PH

Chloris virgata (feathertop Rhodes grass, windmill grass) is a tufted perennial to 50cm tall. The inflorescence is shorter, softer and less widely branched than other Chloris species. It is scattered on roadsides and other disturbed sites throughout southern Western Australia, the Goldfields, edges of the desert and the Ord River. Flowers in autumn and winter, native to tropical Africa.

C. virgata , PH

Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass) PP is a very large tussocky perennial with leaves up to 1m long, crowded at the base of the plant. The leaf-margins are sharp and can inflict cuts if incautiously handled. The inflorescence is a large, silvery (sometimes tinged pink or purple) plume-like panicle to 3m tall, produced in late winter. A garden escape, it is naturalised in sunny, swampy sites from Perth to Albany. Potentially a serious weed of wetlands, and its wind-blown seeds are capable of long-distance dispersal. Native to South America.

Cortaderia selloana , RR

Poaceae continued

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*Catapodium rigidum* (wasDesmazeria rigida) (rigid fescue) is an erect, rigid annual to 20cm with glabrous, inrolled leaves to 10cm and an erect, linear to narrowly ovate, one-sided panicle 1-8cm long. It flowers in spring, and is naturalised on wasteland from Perth to Bremer Bay. Native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. C. marinum has recently been found on the beach at Albany and in Perth. It has more dense, raceme-like panicles and grows on sandy soil. Native to Europe.	*Catapodium rigidum* , GK
*Cenchrus biflorus* (gallons curse) is an erect annual to 1m. The inflorescence is up to 20cm long and is produced in summer and winter. It is a widespread weed of the western Kimberley, in pindan and vine thickets and along the Fitzroy River, and less so in the eastern Kimberley. Native to warm temperate and tropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere.	*Cenchrus* *ciliaris* (buffel grass) in table drain, Carnarvon. PH,
*C. ciliaris* (buffel grass) is a tufted, often tussocking perennial, to 1m tall. The inflorescence is cylindrical, with purplish flowers produced for much of the year. Widely planted in pastoral regions as a pasture grass, it has become a widespread weed of roadsides, creeklines, river edges and most vegetation types from Shark Bay to the Pilbara and adjacent desert. In the Murchison and Gascoyne regions it often colonises roadside table drains, excluding native everlastings and consequently causing detriment to the ecotourism industry. Found in the south-west on roadsides used by stock trucks from the north. It continues to spread, in the north and south, both naturally and through deliberate establishment. Native to Africa and India. (This taxon is sometimes considered to comprise two species, C. ciliaris and C. pennisetiformis, the latter having the fruit bristles fused for a greater length.)	*C. ciliaris* , PH
*C. echinatus* (Mossman River grass) PP is an annual to 1m tall, with a loose panicle of purple flowers, 2-10cm long produced for much of the year. It is found in vine thickets in the Kimberley, and on disturbed ground and road verges extending into the south-west. Native to North and South America. *C. incertus* (spiny burrgrass) PP is a tufted annual to 80cm. The inflorescence is a loose, spike-like panicle, 2-8cm long. It flowers for most of the year on disturbed ground, road verges and paddocks in the south-west. Native to North and South America.	*C. echinatus* , PH
*C. longispinus* (spiny burrgrass) is a tufted annual to 90cm tall. The inflorescence is a compact, spike-like panicle, 1-10cm long. A weed of cultivation and road verges in the wheatbelt, probably under-recorded due to confusion with C. echinatus. Native to North and Central America. *C. setiger* (Birdwood grass) is a tufted perennial to 80cm tall, with a compact, green, spike-like inflorescence to 20cm long, produced in spring and summer. Established as a fodder plant in pastoral areas, it has become a serious weed of watercourses from Carnarvon to the Kimberley. Native to Africa and India.	C. setiger , PH
*Chloris* (windmill grasses) have an inflorescence that is usually purplish and composed of numerous digitate spikelets arranged on a short axis. There are several native Chloris species, consult a specialist text for exact identification. *C. barbata* (purpletop chloris) is an annual or short-lived perennial, to 90cm tall. It is distinguished by having three awns per spikelet (as opposed to two in other Chloris species). It is widespread throughout the Kimberley from Broome to Kununurra, on levee banks, road verges, disturbed sites and creek lines. It flowers in summer and winter and is native to tropical Africa.	*Chloris* *barbata* , RR
*Chloris gayana* (Rhodes grass) is a tufted, stoloniferous perennial, to 1m tall. Used as a summer-growing pasture grass, it is scattered on road verges and disturbed sites throughout southern Western Australia. Flowers in summer and winter, native to tropical Africa.	*C. gayana* , PH
*Chloris virgata* (feathertop Rhodes grass, windmill grass) is a tufted perennial to 50cm tall. The inflorescence is shorter, softer and less widely branched than other Chloris species. It is scattered on roadsides and other disturbed sites throughout southern Western Australia, the Goldfields, edges of the desert and the Ord River. Flowers in autumn and winter, native to tropical Africa.	*C. virgata* , PH
*Cortaderia selloana* (pampas grass) PP is a very large tussocky perennial with leaves up to 1m long, crowded at the base of the plant. The leaf-margins are sharp and can inflict cuts if incautiously handled. The inflorescence is a large, silvery (sometimes tinged pink or purple) plume-like panicle to 3m tall, produced in late winter. A garden escape, it is naturalised in sunny, swampy sites from Perth to Albany. Potentially a serious weed of wetlands, and its wind-blown seeds are capable of long-distance dispersal. Native to South America.	*Cortaderia selloana* , RR