Common Australian Garden Weeds

Melinis repens

Scientific name: Melinis repens (Willd.) Zizka


Habit of red natal grass (Melinis repens), note that younger inflorescences are red in colour and become paler as they get older.


Close-up of the inflorescence of red natal grass.


Close-up of the flower 'spikelets' of red natal grass, showing that the red colour of the flowers is due to the many hairs or bristles associated with the spikelets.

Synonyms: Sacharum repens Willd.; Tricholaena teneriffae auct. Non (L.f.) Link F.M. Bailey; Rynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C.E. Hubbard

Common name: Red Natal grass

Family: Poaceae

Origin:

Native of South America.

Habit:

Annual or perennial grass forming open tussocks with erect slender stems, growing to 1 m.

Habitat:

Weed of untended areas, often found on footpaths, along railways and on roadsides.

General description:

Stems and leaves:

Leaves are linear and can be either folded or flat 5-30 × 0.2-1 cm. Both the sheath and the blade of the leaf can be either hairless or hairy. There is a membranous appendage (ligule) at the junction of the leaf sheath and leaf blade which is 2 mm long.

Flowers and fruit:

The inflorescence is branched with conspicuously hairy spikelets and seed heads. The hairs are silky and vary in colour from silver to pink or purple.

Distinguishing characteristics:

Annual or perennial grass forming open tussocks with erect stems to 1 m. The inflorescence is distinctive with silky hairs which range in colour from silver to pink or purple.

Noxious status:

Not noxious.

Sources:

Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. 3rd Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Stanley, T.E. and Ross, E.M. (1983-1989). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Volume 3. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Auld, B.A. and Medd, R.W. (1996). Weeds: An Illustrated Botanical Guide to Weeds of Australia. Inkata Press, Sydney.