Common Name

Soft Speargrass

Family

Poaceae

Notes

Perennial grass to 1.5m tall. Leaves with a hairy sheath at the base. Ligule a membrane with a fringe of hairs. Leaves rolled or rolled inwards, 15-45cm long, 1.5-3mm wide, hairy or hairless, margins smooth to slightly rough. Spikelets green purple becoming red-brown, with long white to yellow hairs, 16-23mm long, excluding the awn. Mature flower groups cylindrical to spreading. Seed with one long awn.

PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Austrostipa~mollis

ausgrass2 description with line drawing and photos:  http://ausgrass2.myspecies.info/content/austrostipa-mollis

FloraBase photos:  http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/17245

Photo of plants. Photographer Richard Hartland, Grampians, Vic