Short-crest Spear-grass

Short-crest Spear-grass
Short-crest Spear-grass

Short-crest Spear-grass

Austrostipa curticoma

Perennial. Highly drought tolerant. A food source for seed eating birds including finches. Also attracts moths and butterflies. 

Details Description
Type
Graminoid
Group
Grass
Identifying Characteristics

Open tufted grass. Flowering stems to 1.2 m tall. Leaves are up to 30 cm long and 3-5 mm wide. The awns are bent twice, 45-65 mm long, with dense, fine hairs. Flowers September-December.
Distinctive Features

Awns (bristles on seeds) are important identification features for Spear-grass species.
Life Form Group
Graminoid
Life Form Codes
Medium to Small Tufted Graminoid (MTG)
EVC types
EVC 132_61: Heavier-soils Plains Grassland
EVC 132_63: Low-rainfall Plains Grassland
EVC 55_61: Plains Grassy Woodland
EVC 55_63: Higher Rainfall Plains Grassy Woodland
EVC 68: Creekline Grassy Woodland
Native Status
Native to Australia
Taxonomy
Phylum
Charophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Austrostipa
Species
curticoma
Short-crest Spear-grass
Occurs in Victoria and South Australia.

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.