Chilean needle grass

Family: Poaceae
Scientific name: Nassella neesiana
Description: Plant Form Tussock forming erect perennial grass. Size 30 cm to 1.2 m tall. Stem Thin, upright. Leaf joint is smooth with tufted hairs either side. Leaves About 30 cm long, flat and slightly in-rolled. Strongly ribbed on upper surface, sometimes hairy. Flowers Heads are loosely branched, open and mostly above leaves, 10-40 cm long with 50-200 flowers. Fruit and Seeds Seeds pointed at base, 6-10 mm long, lumpy and pale brown with purple bracts and long, bent awns 6-9 cm long. Habitat Pastures, grassy woodlands, roadsides, along creeks and rivers. Distinguishing Features Purple appearance of seeds, and the long, bent awns. Seed also has tiny distinctive crown-like structure at base of awn. Impacts Sharp and twisting seeds lodge in skin of humans and animals, decreases grazing productivity, out competes native grasses and herbs, impacts vegetation structure and animal habitat.

Example images for this weed