Poaceae

Themeda quadrivalvis

Common Names: Grader grass

Plant Form: Annual tufted grass. Size: 55 cm to 2 m tall. Stem: Hairless upright, green at first, browning as they mature. Leaves: Alternately along stem, clasping stem, blade 7-60 cm long, folded at base. Flowers: Spikelets 1-3 cm long with fan shaped structure in leafy bracts. Fruit and Seeds: Oval or near cylindrical, in hairy bracts, with long bent twisted awns, become droopy with age. Habitat: Grasslands, roadsides, disturbed areas, wasteland, open woodlands. Distinguishing Features: Very similar to, but taller than Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) and with harder spikelets than Tanglegrass (Heteropogon contortus). Smaller spikelets than Native oatgrass (Themeda avenacea). Impacts: Less palatable than other grasses, weed of sugarcane, outcompetes native grasses, increases fire risk.