Molasses grass

Family: Poaceae
Scientific name: Melinis minutiflora
Description: Plant Form: Perennial grass. Size: 60 cm to 1.5 m tall. Stem: Upright or trailing, slender, hairy, sometimes produce roots at joints. Leaves: Narrow green blades often with purplish or reddish brown tinge. 4-20 cm long, with smooth edges. Covered in sticky hairs which give strong molasses-like smell. Flowers: Many branching pale pink, purplish or reddish clusters 8-30 cm long at the end of stems. Containing numerous small spikelets. Fruit and Seeds: Spikelets 1.5-2.5 mm long with 1 or 2 small awns and a pair of bracts with one smaller than the other. Mature to produce a single oval or spindle-shaped grain, about 1.4 mm long. Habitat: Roadsides, urban bushland, woodlands, pastures, grasslands, disturbed areas, cropping areas. Distinguishing Features: Distinguished from Red natal grass (Melinis repens) by creeping habit and smaller individual spikelets (up to 2.5 mm vs up to 12 mm long). Weed Status: Other Weed Weed Type: Environmental Lifeform: Grassy

Example images for this weed