Giant speargrass

Family: Poaceae
Scientific name: Heteropogon triticeus
Description: Plant Form: Tall perennial tussock grass. Size: Up to 2 m tall. Shorter when not flowering. Stem: Erect, with many nodes, middle nodes are hairless. Leaves: Flat or folded inward blades 20-80 cm long. Surface ribbed and slightly rough, with prominent midrib. With fine hairs along edges and hairy at base. Flowers: Long spiked head of closely packed spikelets in distinctive spear-shape with pairs of male and female spikelets. With very long awns up to 14 cm long. Fruit and Seeds: Female spikelet fertile, glumes (seed husks) smooth and dark brown, wider lower down and narrower higher up. Habitat: This native grass inhabits open woodlands, forests, roadsides. Distinguishing Features: Size and large spear-shaped spike with long awns distinguishes from other grasses (Poaceae). Weed Status: Non-weedy native lookalike Weed Type: Lifeform: Grassy

Example images for this weed