Annual Veldt-grass - introduced (Ehrhartia longiflora)

Native to South Africa. Annual. C3.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Occurrence: Annual Veldt-grass is a widespread and common weed. It is common in weedy areas, and as a coloniser of disturbed bushland. It is a problem weed in the Kaweka Wildflower Reserve.

Identification

• the flower cluster is an open loose spray
• the glumes are much shorter than the spikelets
• the two lower sterile spikelets are awned and the fertile spikelet are unawned
• the leaves are flat
• the ligule is 1-2mm long.

Ehrhartia: After F. Ehrhart, an 18th century Swiss botanist; longiflora: with long flowers.

Annual Veldt-grass is a distinctive grass. The glumes are about half the size of the spikelet, and are coloured a distinctive purple-red.