Desmazeria

Scientific Name:

Tribolium acutiflorum (syn. Desmazeria acutiflora, Plagiochloa acutiflora)

Desmazeria tussock
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Native to Cape Province, South Africa. Naturalised in Victoria and South Australia.

Plant Description:

Harsh, tufted perennial to 30 cm high but often decumbent and short. Leaves flat, to 15 cm long and 3 mm wide, hairless or with few scattered hairs. Flower-head a green to purplish, terminal spike-like, dense, cylindric panicle, 1-6 cm long and 0.4-1 cm wide and partly embraced by the leaf-sheath. Spikelets 4-6 mm long, of 3-8 florets and florets with hairs along the margins, base and sometimes lower back regions.

Habitat:

Predominantly a species of heavy textured wet soils. Often growing in saline environments.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland	S1, S2, S3	W1, W2

Coments:

Appears to have moderate to high salt and drought tolerance. Under extreme stress, leaves, stems and panicles turn purplish-red.

Desmazeria spike with exserted anthers
Photo: A J Brown

Desmazeria - young spike
Photo: A J Brown

Desmazeria - emerging spike
Photo: A J Brown

Desmazeria spikelets
Photo: A J Brown

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