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Chilean needle grass looks like native spear grasses (Austrostipa spp.). It's related to serrated tussock ( Nassella trichotoma ) and Mexican feather grass ( Nassella tenuissima ). It can also look like other winter green grasses such as Danthonia and fescue.
Chilean Needle Grass is similar in appearance to the Native Spear grasses (Austrostipa species). They all have sharp seeds with a long curved or bent awn and hairy tip, and may appear red before drying to a straw colour.
Chilean Needle Grass (CNG) is an erect, tufted perennial tussock that can grow up to 1m in height when left ungrazed. It produces seeds from three points on the plant: the panicle seed, mid-stem seed at leaf joins and at the base of the plant.
Chilean needle grass is becoming a serious pasture and environmental weed in south-eastern Australia. It is very invasive and forms dense stands in pastures, bushland and roadsides. It tolerates drought and heavy grazing, giving it great potential to spread and over-run existing vegetation.
Chilean Needle Grass is an erect, tufted perennial tussock that can grow up to one metre in height when left ungrazed. The seeds have a hardened 8-10mm seed head (lemma), and a 60-70mm twisted tail (awn).
Appearance: A clumpy grass that grows up to one metre tall. Yellow to green leaves that grow 2–8 mm wide and are harsh to the touch. Large tufts shine in the light. Purple drooping seed heads that are bullet shaped and extremely sharp. Location: Farm land, grasslands, forest margins and wasteland.
