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Chilean needle grass
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If you have seen this plant
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- Chilean needle grass glumes encasing the seed
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- Chilean needle grass plant form
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- Chilean needle grass seeds
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- Chilean needle grass infestation
General information
Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) is a Class 1 declared pest plant in Queensland and a Weed of National Significance (WONS). Class 1 pests established in Queensland are subject to eradication from the state. Landowners must take reasonable steps to keep land free of Class 1 pests. It is a serious offence to introduce, keep or supply a Class 1 pest without a permit issued by Biosecurity Queensland. Penalties of up to $80,000 apply.
Chilean needle grass is a perennial tussock grass in the speargrass group of grasses.
Overview
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Scientific name |
Nassella neesiana |
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Impacts |
- heavy infestations displace desirable pasture species
- decreases the productivity of pastures by up to 50%
- long sharp seeds injure animals, downgrading lamb and sheep meat, wool, skins and hides
- reduces natural biodiversity by replacing native species
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Description |
- a perennial tussock grass
- grows in dense clumps, sometimes with other grass species
- can also form pure stands
- erect foliage can grow up to 1 m tall
- leaves 1-5 mm wide, flat and strongly ribbed on their upper surface
- leaf edges rough to touch
- before flowering difficult to differentiate from other tussock grasses
- when flowering, visible flowers develop on long stalks above foliage
- new flowering heads have 60 mm long pale-green awn (tail) at the end of the seed and windblown appearance
- new flowers have dark-red colour produced by bracts encasing the seeds
- awn curved or bent
- seed has reddish corona between its body and the awn
- 8-10 mm long seeds pale brown when mature
- dried straw coloured flowering head can remain on the plant after seed has dropped
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Habitat/distribution/life cycle |
- reproduces from seed
- produces more than 20,000 seeds per square metre
- seed bank persists for many years
- seedlings have high survival rate and can flower and produce seeds in their first season
- a major pest in Victoria and New South Wales
- small infestations recorded in Darling Downs region of Queensland
- has potential to spread further into southern Queensland
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Control |
- prevention best form of control
- good hygiene prevents human-assisted spread
- small infestations can be manually removed before they flower and set seed
- a combined approach of control methods including mechanical and herbicides with land management practices is most effective
- see the Chilean needle grass fact sheet for further information
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Declaration details |
- a declared Class 1 species under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002
- importation, possession and sale is prohibited
- landholders are required by law to keep their land free of this plant
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Further information |
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Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last updated 05 January 2012
