Poa labillardierei
Tussock-grass
Tussock-grass
Wikipedia links: Angiosperms > Monocots > Poales > Poaceae
Other links:
Common name: Tussock-grass
Indigenous names include; Bobat (Woi wurrung) and Bowat (Wurundjeri)
Conservation status: ...
Etymology:
The name is derived from Poa - Greek word which means "fodder"
labillardierei - after the French botanist and explorer, J.J.H. de Labillardière
Flowers:
Flowers in spring to summer
Inflorescences are 10–25 cm long, with erect or erectly and loosely spreading branches
Spikelets 3–4(–8)-flowered, strongly laterally compressed
Glumes broad to rather narrow, subacute to occasionally subacuminate. Lemmas firm, narrow to moderately broad, usually hairy, web usually copious, consisting of long hairs; palea firm, closely scabrous on the keels
Fruit:
Leaves:
Leaves mostly basal, very long; sheath usually pallid at the base, upper ± scabrous; ligule c. 0.5 mm long, truncate; blade to 80 cm long, flat or inrolled, to 3.5 mm wide, scabrous, moderately rigid, tip fine, setaceous
Stem & branches:
Roots:
Habit:
A species of tussock grass
A dense coarsely tufted grasses and can reach a height of 120 cm
The large grass is a perennial hat germinates from seed or division
Habitat:
Most commonly growing in open forest communities, grassy woodland communities and in moister areas on low slopes and valley floors that are frequently wet
They also grow on river flats and can extend up open sheltered slopes
This plant is additionally frost tolerant
Distribution:
Endemic to Australia
It is found in southern and eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
Taxa:
There are differing variations:
Poa labillardierei var. acris Vickery
Poa labillardierei Steud. var. labillardierei
Additional notes:
The species was formally described in 1854 by German botanist and physician Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel in Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum
Uses
Commonly used within home gardens and landscaping
It is a vigorous and tolerant grass, adding vertical interest in landscaping settings
It regenerates well after burning but the fire should not be very hot for a long time
Propagation
Poa labillardierei can be propagated by division and germinates readily from seed, into prepared soil in autumn and winter
The seedlings cannot grow in an area of continuous dry climate and needs moist soil to establish, but can germinate in frost and can tolerate a temperature in the 0 to -5 °C range
It has a very fast growth rate, and once established, it needs very low maintenance and no irrigation
First Nation's uses
The long leaves and stems are used as string for basket making
Sources of information:
(2023)