ChileanNeedleGrass(Nassellaneesiana)(WEED)

Photo: Charles Grech

Atmaturity,ifplantisnotmown,seedheadsusuallydrooptooneside.Seedshaveatinycollar(corona)wherethelongtail(awn)comesoutoftheseed.

Fine-headSpearGrass(Austrostipaoligostachya)(NATIVE)

Photo: Seed Conservation Centre Botanic Gdns SA

CanlooksimilartoChileanNeedleGrass.ThebestwaytotellthemapartisthatSpearGrassdoesn’thaveacollaronitsseed,andtheseedishairier.(Seedrawingsofseedsonreverseside.)

Espartillo(Amelichloacaudata)(WEED)

Photo: Bernard SlatterySeedhasanawn,butnocorona.Whenmowed,tuftsoftenfeelsharpandspikywhenahandisplacedonthem.

Photo: Rob & Fiona Richardson

LargeTussockGrass(Poalabillardieri)(NATIVE)

Photo: Ian Higgins

Leavesofthelocalformarefolded,whereasEspartillohasrolledleavesthataremuchstifferthanthoseofLargeTussockGrass.

Leaflet from Margaret Panter 5470 5072 (7am-7pm) 25 Jan 19

TexasNeedleGrass(Nassellaleucotricha)(WEED)

Photo: Ern Perkins R&F Richardson

Maylookpurplish,likeChileanNeedleGrass,butisusuallymoreupright.

CaneNeedleGrass(Nassellahyalina)(WEED)

Photo: David McLaren Photo: Euan Moore

MaylooksimilartoTexasNeedleGrass,butisfinerandwispierandseedsandawnsaresmaller,andseedsoftenlookyellowishatmaturity.

Drawing: Margaret Panter

DISTINGUISHINGBETWEENNEEDLEGRASSESANDNATIVEGRASSES

RoughSpearGrass(Austrostipascabra)(NATIVE)

P Photo: Sam Panter

WallabyGrasses(Rytidospermaspp.)(NATIVES)OftenfoundnearNeedleGrasses.

Photo: Seed Conservation Centre Botanic Gdns SA

Striped Wallaby Grass

AwnsonWallabyGrassseedsaremuchfinerandshorterthanawnsonNeedleGrasses–seephotosbelow.

Photo: F. Cincotta Photo: Ern Perkins

Seed of Striped Wallaby Grass magnified 3 times. It has 3 awns. Needle Grasses have one awn.

Copper-awned Wallaby Grass has flat leaves like Chilean Needle Grass but a fluffy seed head.

SometimesconfusedwithNeedleGrasses.Althoughitmaylookabitpurplish,itismuchfinerthanChileanNeedleGrassanditsleavesarerolled,notflat.Headsarenormallyfairlyupright.

Seeds of Chilean Needle Grass, Texas Needle Grass, Cane Needle Grass and a native Spear Grass magnified 5x

normallyfairlyupright..

S