Chilean needlegrass

Nassella neesiana

family

Poaceae

origin

Exotic

declaration

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Must not be distributed or disposed. This means it must not be released into the environment unless the distribution or disposal is authorised in a regulation or under a permit.

Common names

Chilean needlegrass, Chilean needlegrass, Chilean speargrass, Uruguayan tussockgrass.

A densely tufted long-lived grass with upright or arching stems growing 30-120 cm tall. Its linear leaves (1.5-5 mm wide) are either flat or rolled inwards. Its seed-head is a loose, and either upright or nodding, branched panicle (5-40 cm long) with many flower spikelets that are borne singly. These flower spikelets are elongated in shape (10-22 mm long) and topped by a large twisted awn (45-80 mm long). The mature seed has a small membranous crown-like structure (about 1 mm long) where the awn attaches to the top of the seed. This species also produces 'stem seeds' within the leaf sheaths.

Leaf arrangement:Simple
Leaf form:Basal
Brown
Green

Impact

Impact

Chilean needlegrass (Nassella neesiana) is one of the Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) in Australia, and is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, south-eastern New South Wales, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia.

Location

Location

Characteristics

Characteristics

Similar Species

Similar Species

Control Methods