Blady Grass

Description:

Imperata cylindrica, commonly known as "blady grass" in Australia, is a native grass species that belongs to the family Poaceae. This is a coarse, erect perennial grass, spreading vigorously from underground stems. Flowering stems are erect, and the dense, fluffy cylindrical spike-like flowerheads (7-20 cm long) are its most distinctive feature. It's a tough grass with sharp blade-like edges which can easily cut the skin. In fact, the leaf margins are finely toothed and are embedded with sharp silica crystals. In certain parts of the world, Imperata cylindrica is an invasive species, but it also has many positive uses too - thatch for roofing, ground cover and soil stabilization to prevent erosion, paper-making, thatching and weaving into mats and bags, stuffing for cushions, and is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is also a butterfly host plant for the dingy darter, greenish darter, orange ringlet, evening brown, and even provides habitat for frogs. An interesting fact: The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by wind.

Habitat:

I spotted two large areas of blady grass on my hike today - the first around the camping area where there is partial clearing, but largely beneath large eucalypts in dry sclerophyll forest, and the second was at the large bald (last photo) along the Mt. Mathieson Trail, Spicers Gap. This area forms part of Main Range National Park, and is included in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Massive fires have recently burnt through this region, although some sections of the park were spared.