Scientific name: Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst. Ex Chiov.

Common name: Kikuyu grass

Family: Poaceae

Origin:

Native of tropical Eastern Africa.

Habit:

Perennial mat-forming grass with short coarse leaves and horizontal creeping stems with many nodes and branches rooting at nodes, grows less than 30 cm tall

Habitat:

Weed of tended areas. Introduced as a lawn and pasture grass.

General description:

Stems and leaves

Plants form a network of horizontal much jointed stems forming dense mats on the soil surface. Leaves are short 1-30 × 0.3-0.7 cm, either hairless or hairy with sparse or dense hairs with swollen bases. At the junction of t he leaf sheath and leaf blade is a hairy appendage (ligule). Leaves are folded at first then flattening out and coarse in texture.

Flowers and fruit

Inflorescences are usually inconspicuous remaining hidden inside the sheaths of the leaves. Occasionally a branched inflorescence may emerge from the sheath of the upper leaves. Seed heads rarely present.

Distinguishing characteristics:

A perennial grass with creeping stems forming dense mats. Leaves are short and broad coarse textured. Usually inflorescences remain hidden within the leaf sheaths and seeds are rarely formed.

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.