Windmill Grass

Windmill Grass
Windmill Grass

Windmill Grass

Chloris truncata

Annual or short-lived perennial. Typically found in well-watered sites such as drainage lines, in grasslands, and woodlands, often as a dominant understorey species. A useful grass for soil conservation purposes. An important native pasture grass in some areas of Australia, but weedy in others.

Details Description
Type
Graminoid
Group
Grass
Identifying Characteristics

Tufted low growing grass to 45 cm tall. Leaves short, narrow, pale green. An umbrella-like flower head up to 30 cm wide, purple to black. Flowers November-June
Distinctive Features

The seed head has 5-13 spikes radiating like blades of a windmill from the stem. When mature the entire seed head breaks away and the whole head tumbles along with the wind.
Life Form Group
Graminoid
Life Form Codes
Medium to Small Tufted Graminoid (MTG)
EVC types
EVC 132_63: Low-rainfall Plains Grassland
EVC 803: Plains Woodland
Native Status
Native to Australia
Taxonomy
Phylum
Charophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Chloris
Species
truncata
Windmill Grass
Widespread in temperate southern mainland 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.