Sporobolus fertilis
(Steud.) Clayton Giant Parramatta GrassDistinguished from the very similar S. africanus mainly by the slightly shorter spikelets and the tendency of lower branches of the inflorescence to spread slightly from the main axis.
Wim. Native to tropical Asia. Naturalised in Qld and NSW where it is sometimes a serious pasture weed.
The species is recorded from Victoria on the basis of a collection housed in Brisbane herbarium labelled simply Horsham, March 1999. The specimen was included in a molecular study of the S. africanus complex in Australia (teste Simon & Jacobs 1999), and, while morphologically agreeing with S. fertilis, the specimen is annotated ‘Gives a DNA banding very different from other material of S. fertilis’. On the basis of this comment, the uncertanty of it having been wild-collected, and the absence of other supporting specimens, the species is only tentatively included as part of the naturalised flora of Victoria.
Simon, B.K.; Jacobs, S.W.L. (1999). Revision of the Genus Sporobolus (Poaceae, Chloridoideae) in Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 12: 375–448.
