Culms erect, to 60 cm high. Leaves glabrous; blade flat, narrowly tapered to apex, to 15 cm long and 3 mm wide; ligule membranous, laciniate, to 4 mm long. Inflorescence 5–12 cm long and 5–9 mm diam., tapered to base and apex; glumes narrowly acute, swollen near base, shining, glabrous, finely scabrous along keels, the lower 4.5–6 mm long and upper 3–4.5 mm, persisting until lemma is shed but falling soon after; lemma ovate, 1–1.5 mm long, membranous, covered with fine silky hairs; awn 4.5–7 mm long, slightly bent, attached just below apex of lemma, rarely absent; palea subequal to lemma. Flowers Nov.–Feb.
Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, HSF. Also naturalised in WA, SA, NSW. Naturalised in New Zealand, the Americas, southern Africa, native to the Mediterranean region. An uncommon weed, apparently preferring sites which are either flat and low-lying or near watercourses. Of little or no value as a pasture species.
Source:
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.
