Para grass
Urochloa mutica
family
Poaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Para grass, California grass, Scotch grass, Dutch grass, Signal grass, Mauritius grass, Panicum grass, .
A large grass growing up to 2 m or more tall that is mainly found growing in wetter habitats. It has densely hairy stem joints and leaf stalks. Its seed-heads have numerous (5-20) branches and sometimes have the appearance of an open panicle. These seed-head branches occasionally have small side-branches and reduce in size towards the top of the seed-head. The oval-shaped flower spikelets are hairless and usually have purplish or blackish coloured stamens and stigmas.
Impact
Impact
Para grass (Urochloa mutica) is regarded as a significant environmental weed in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, and as an environmental weed some parts of New South Wales. It is actively managed by community groups in Queensland and the Northern Territory and was recently listed as a priority environmental weed in three Natural Resource Management regions. In south-eastern Queensland it is regarded to be among the top 50 most invasive environmental weeds, while a recent survey also placed it among the top 100 most important environmental weeds in northern New South Wales.This species has become a serious weed of native wetlands throughout northern Australia, where it destroys waterbird breeding habitats and replaces native vegetation along streams and in riparian zones. For example, it is destroying the breeding habitat of the magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) and reducing the ability of the this waterbird to feed in open water. It is also one of the major environmental weeds infesting the Alligator River floodplain in the Northern Territory and contributing to the decline of the endangered yellow chat (Epthianura crocea tunneyi ). Para grass (Urochloa mutica) quickly develops into very dense infestations that smother riverbanks and also floats out over the water surface. By doing this it chokes out the native species and prevents the regeneration of more desirable plants. It also invades areas of disturbed remnant vegetation away from water, especially in coastal areas where there are suitable fertile soils. This species is regarded as the worst of the weedy aquatic grasses in the Townsville area in northern Queensland and is also listed as an undesirable plant in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Para grass (Urochloa mutica) and other invasive weeds are choking Louisa Creek in Townsville at a number of sites and providing a barriers to fish migration. It is also a very serious weed of the ecologically important Mary River Conservation Reserve in the Northern Territory, where it is thought to be causing major impacts on biodiversity. This species can also change the fire regime, particularly in monsoonal wetland areas in the Northern Territory. During the dry season the aboveground portion of the grass dries out can carry very hot fires that kill native plants and animals that are not used to this ecological change. It can also severely impair the water carrying ability of streams, causing increased flooding in badly infested river systems.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Para grass (Urochloa mutica) is regarded as a significant environmental weed in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, and as an environmental weed some parts of New South Wales. It is actively managed by community groups in Queensland and the Northern Territory and was recently listed as a priority environmental weed in three Natural Resource Management regions. In south-eastern Queensland it is regarded to be among the top 50 most invasive environmental weeds, while a recent survey also placed it among the top 100 most important environmental weeds in northern New South Wales.This species has become a serious weed of native wetlands throughout northern Australia, where it destroys waterbird breeding habitats and replaces native vegetation along streams and in riparian zones. For example, it is destroying the breeding habitat of the magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) and reducing the ability of the this waterbird to feed in open water. It is also one of the major environmental weeds infesting the Alligator River floodplain in the Northern Territory and contributing to the decline of the endangered yellow chat (Epthianura crocea tunneyi ). Para grass (Urochloa mutica) quickly develops into very dense infestations that smother riverbanks and also floats out over the water surface. By doing this it chokes out the native species and prevents the regeneration of more desirable plants. It also invades areas of disturbed remnant vegetation away from water, especially in coastal areas where there are suitable fertile soils. This species is regarded as the worst of the weedy aquatic grasses in the Townsville area in northern Queensland and is also listed as an undesirable plant in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Para grass (Urochloa mutica) and other invasive weeds are choking Louisa Creek in Townsville at a number of sites and providing a barriers to fish migration. It is also a very serious weed of the ecologically important Mary River Conservation Reserve in the Northern Territory, where it is thought to be causing major impacts on biodiversity. This species can also change the fire regime, particularly in monsoonal wetland areas in the Northern Territory. During the dry season the aboveground portion of the grass dries out can carry very hot fires that kill native plants and animals that are not used to this ecological change. It can also severely impair the water carrying ability of streams, causing increased flooding in badly infested river systems.
