Red grass/ Red oat grass

Description:

Themeda triandra is a perennial grass widespread in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass. In eastern and South Africa it is known as red grass and red oat grass, rooigras in Afrikaans. The species has a tufted habit and can reach up to 1.5 metres tall and half a metre across. It flowers in summer, producing large red-brown spikelets on branched stems. The young growth is palatable to stock. It also serves as a food source for several avian species, including the Long-tailed Widowbird.