The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Imperata cylindrica var. major

Etymology

cylindrica: From the Latin cylindricus 'cylindrical, having nearly a true cylindrical form
major: greater

Common Name(s)

cogon grass

Authority

Imperata cylindrica var. major (Nees) C.E.Hubb.

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Grasses

Habitat

Terrestrial open places, sunny places on hills, flats on volcanic soil near coast.

Features

Perennial tropical grass forming loose or compact tufts to about 1 m. Colonies establish from long-creeping, tough, scaly rhizomes about 3mm diameter. Leaves held on upright culm 20-50 cm high. leaf-sheath light brown, sometimes purplish, glabrose or with scattered fine hairs above, shredding into stiff fibres at maturity. Leaf-blade to 1 m x 4-10 mm, glabrous with rough margins. Panicle 9-15 x c. 2cm, a dense silky white spike. Seed not seen in New Zealand.

Similar Taxa

I. cylindrica is distinguished from I. cheesmanii by the dense flowering spike (cylindrica).

Year Naturalised

1911

Origin

Tropical/warm temperate Asia, Australia, New Caledonia, Eastern Africa, Lord Howe Island.

This page last updated on 24 Mar 2010