Feathertop Rhodes grass
Chloris virgata
family
Poaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Feather finger grass, Feather windmill grass, Feathered chloris, Feathertop Rhodes, Feathertop Rhodes grass, Feathery Rhodes grass, Oldland grass, Sweet grass.
A short-lived tufted grass usually growing 15-100 cm tall. Its stems are upright or spread outwards at first with upright tips. Its long and narrow leaves (5-30 cm long and 2-8 mm wide) are mostly hairless. Its greyish-green or whitish seed -heads are feathery and borne at the tips of the stems. Each seed-head has several branches (3-10 cm long) that radiate from the same point. The branches have numerous hairy flower spikelets, which leave two small bracts behind when they fall off.
Impact
Impact
Though this grass is mainly a weed of agricultural areas and habitation, it is also regarded as an environmental weed in northern Australia (i.e. in Queensland and the Northern Territory). It spreads from crops, pastures, gardens, disturbed areas and roadsides to nearby creek lines, native grasslands and coastal environs (e.g. sand dunes). Feathertop Rhodes grass (Chloris virgata) is a particularly aggressive invader of bare areas and degraded or disturbed native vegetation, and can out-compete native species in these habitats.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Though this grass is mainly a weed of agricultural areas and habitation, it is also regarded as an environmental weed in northern Australia (i.e. in Queensland and the Northern Territory). It spreads from crops, pastures, gardens, disturbed areas and roadsides to nearby creek lines, native grasslands and coastal environs (e.g. sand dunes). Feathertop Rhodes grass (Chloris virgata) is a particularly aggressive invader of bare areas and degraded or disturbed native vegetation, and can out-compete native species in these habitats.
