Chilean Needle-grass

Chilean Needle-grass
Chilean Needle-grass
Chilean Needle-grass

Chilean Needle-grass

Nassella neesiana

Long-lived perennial that can invade poor soils and survive fire, drought and frost. The sharp-pointed seeds easily attach to the coats of animals, clothing and machinery, aiding its spread. Stock avoid eating it, reducing farm productivity by as much as 50% during summer. It can produce thousands of seeds per square metre, which stay viable in the soil for many years.

Details Description
Type
Graminoid
Group
Grass
Identifying Characteristics

Dense, arching tussocks with leaves to 30 cm long and 5 mm wide, flat and strongly ribbed on their upper surface, with leaf edges that are rough to touch. Flowering stems to 1 m high. Spikelets in loose clusters to 40 cm long are distinctively purplish when young. Flowers and sets seed spring-summer.
Distinctive Features

This weed can look very similar to native spear-grasses Austrostipa spp. To distinguish, compare the seeds. Chilean needle-grass seeds have a raised crown (corona), a ridge of small teeth circling the awn (bristle), located at the junction of the seed and the awn. Austrostipa seeds do not have this feature.
Life Form Group
Graminoid
Life Form Codes
Medium to Small Tufted Graminoid (MTG)
EVC types
EVC 132_61: Heavier-soils Plains Grassland
EVC 132_62: Lighter-soils Plains Grassland
EVC 132_63: Low-rainfall Plains Grassland
EVC 175: Grassy Woodland
Native Status
Introduced
Weed Status Invasiveness
High INVASIVE
Weed Status Impact
High IMPACT
Taxonomy
Phylum
Charophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Nassella
Species
neesiana
Chilean Needle-grass
Native to South America. A noxious weed of Victoria and New South Wales.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Endangered Status
DEPI Advisory List
Not listed
FFG Act
Not listed
EPBC Act
Not listed

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.