Stink Grass - introduced (*Eragrostis cilianensis)

Native to the Meditteranean region. Annual. C4.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

It is moderately common along roadsides and in nature strips and gutters.

Identification:

• A spreading grass to about 30cm
• the flower cluster is an open spray
• the glumes are shorter than the lemmas
• the spikelet has numerous, closely arranged florets
• the spikelets are more than 5mm long and a leaden brown colour
• the leaves are flat
• the leaf margins have small raised glands, and there are yellowish yellow bands below the nodes along the culms
• the ligule is 0.5-1.5mm long and shortly hairy.

A malodorous grass.

The odour, the glandular leaves and the yellow bands below the nodes distinguishes this grass from other local love grasses.

eros: love; agrostis: grass, referring to the delicate flower clusters of some species; cilianensis: from Cigliano Italy.

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