Scientific Name

Jarava plumosa (Spreng.) S.W.L Jacobs & J. Everett

Synonyms

Achnatherum papposum (Nees) Barkworth
Calamagrostis plumosa Spreng.
Stipa papposa Nees
Stipa plumosa Trin.

Family

Gramineae (South Australia)
Poaceae (Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory)

Common Names

jarava, plumerillo, South American rice grass

Origin

Native to South America (i.e. southern Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay and Peru).

Naturalised Distribution

This species currently has a very limited distribution in Australia. It has only been recorded as naturalised near Adelaide in south-eastern South Australia.

Naturalised overseas in south-western USA (i.e. California).

Notes

Plumerillo (Jarava plumosa) is a potential weed of pastures, native grasslands and open woodlands in the temperate regions of Australia. Its is one of eleven exotic stipoid grasses that are thought to pose a significant threat to remnant indigenous grasslands in south-eastern Australia and its potential distribution in this country has been estimated at about 1.8 million hectares.

Plumerillo (Jarava plumosa) was introduced as a potential pasture plant in the early 1940s, but it has since been found naturalised in the vicinity of the Waite Institute in Adelaide in south-eastern South Australia. While it appears to be spreading, it is so far confined to this one general area and populations are controlled on an ongoing basis.

The mobile application of Environmental Weeds of Australia is available from the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes.
Android Edition	Apple iOS Edition