Eleusine tristachya
(Lam.) Lam. American Crows-foot GrassTufted or shortly rhizomatous perennial or annual, culms spreading to erect, to 30(–50) cm high. Leaves glabrous or nearly so; blade smooth to somewhat scabrous, flat to folded, to 20 cm long and 5 mm wide; ligule c. 0.5 mm long. Inflorescence usually quite terminal, rarely with a reduced spike shortly below the umbel. Spikelets 4–10-flowered, 4–9 mm long; lower glume 1-nerved, broadly acute to obtuse, 1.5–2.5 mm long, weakly keeled, upper glume 3–5-nerved, acute, 2.5–3.5 mm long, strongly keeled; lemma resembling upper glume but slightly longer and 5–7-nerved; seed papillose, and obliquely ridged, c. 1 mm long. Flowers Dec.–Apr.
Wim, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF. Also naturalised in SA, Qld, NSW, naturalised in many tropical and temperate countries. Indigenous to tropical Africa and America (where formerly believed to be introduced). An occasional weed of roadsides, lawns, river banks and other well-watered sites. Said to be useful fodder, but unlikely to survive cold winters.
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
