| DESCRIPTION: It is a short-rhizomatous and tufted grass between 250-1300 mm tall with a short rhizome and unbranched culms. Leaf blades 3ˆ12 mm wide and flat, from 50ˆ480 mm long, relatively thick and covered in velvety hair. USE: Important pasture species, however, usually only grazed when it is very young. It is important for stabilizing soil in high rainfall regions and responds quickly after fire to produce vegetation cover. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Cockatoo grass, Black-seed grass. FURTHER INF: Occurs in tropical and sub-tropical Africa from southern Africa to Tanzania, as well as in Asia and Australia where it occurs at high altitudes on open grass slopes, in rocky places, on forest margins and in open woodland. It has been introduced to Madagascar where it is now common in grasslands in higher elevation plateau areas. In Australia, it is one of the main species in sparse lowland woodland. It prefers acidic soil and grows best where the vegetation is relatively stable. In Australia it occurs in areas that may become waterlogged and can withstand these conditions. |