Many spikes

185. Parra grass

Brachiaria mutica

    

A perennial grass with stout, hollow, creeping stems which root readily from the nodes. Stems are prostrate, becoming erect near the ends and growing to 1 m. Leaf sheaths are hairy and have a circle of conspicuous hairs where they join the stems. Leaves are also hairy, dark green, 15 cm long, 0.8 cm wide and taper to a fine point. Flower heads are 18 cm long and consist of several spikes. Each spike has spikelets clustered along its length.

Para Grass is widespread in all cane growing districts. It is found in drains and wet areas and invades poorly drained canefields.

 

186. Green summer grass

Brachiaria subquadripara

  

A tufted, annual grass with erect stems, curving up from the base and rooting at the nodes. Leaves arise mainly from the stems, are pale green and have short hairs along the edges of the lower half of the blades. They are broad at the base and taper gradually towards the tip. Flower heads are composed of alternate, 5 cm long spikes. Spikes are made up of 2 rows of small, flat spikelets carried on one side.

Green Summer Grass is widespread and common, particularly on the sandier soils. It can form a dense mat and competes with young cane for light and moisture.

 

187. Summer grass

Digitaria ciliaris

  

An annual grass with a fibrous root system and clusters of soft, branching stems growing close to the ground. Roots grow at the nodes where they touch the ground. Leaves are dull green, soft and hairy. They are rounded at the base and taper to a point, are 5 to 15 cm long and about 0.5 cm wide. Flower heads consist of several long, slender spikes which spread out from the tops of thin, erect stalks. The spikelets are in two rows on each side of the spikes.

Summer Grass is common in all cane growing districts. It germinates in spring and summer, grows rapidly and competes with young cane if not controlled.

   

188. Russell River grass

Paspalum paniculatum

    

A tufted, perennial grass growing to about 1 m. Leaves grow from the base and the stems, and are dull green. They are up to 2 cm wide and often covered with soft white hairs. Flower heads are made up of several, long, slender spikes. These are attached singly to the stem and are comprised of 1 to 1.5 mm long, purplish spikelets.

Russell River Grass is widespread and is common in some north-ern areas. It is usually found on headlands and roadsides.

   
   

189. Vasey grass

Paspalum urvillei

    

A clump-forming, perennial grass with erect stems, growing to 1.3 m and occasionally to 2 m. Leaves are long, coarse and hairy near the base. Flower heads are 15 cm long and made up of 10 to 20 closely spaced spikes. Spikes are 7 to 10 cm long, with 3 mm long spikelets clustered along their length. The spikes are fringed with white, silky hairs.

Vasey Grass is widespread in all districts and is common in some localities. It is found mainly in damp situations on roadsides and neglected paddocks. It is occasionally a weed of cane fields.

   
   

190. Clyde Road grass

Paspalum virgatum

    

A grass similar to Paspalum. Stems and leaves are held erect. Flower heads are made up of several, long spikes branching singly or in pairs from the stem. Spikelets are arranged in pairs along the length of the spikes and are purplish in colour.

Clyde Road Grass has been reported as a weed on roadsides and in cane fields in the Babinda area.

   
   

191. Perennial urochloa grass

Urochloa mosambicensis

    

A sprawling, softly hairy, perennial grass growing to about 1 m. Stems root at the nodes; at each node there is a ring of soft hairs. Leaves are hairy, up to 18 mm wide and tapering to a long fine point. Flower heads are up to 15 cm long and made up of 4 to 12, alternately arranged, spikes. Spikes are up to 9 cm long with 2 rows of flattened, oval-shaped, pointed spikelets. Spikelets are 3 to 5 mm long with white, silky edges on one side of the spikes.

Perennial Urochloa Grass has become naturalised in most districts. It is a significant weed of cane fields in some areas. Urochloa or Liverseed Grass (U. panicoides) is a similar, but annual, grass. It is distinguished by its smaller size, crinkled leaf edges and fewer spikes in each flower head.