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Tall Windmill Grass
Chloris ventricosa
-27.6155, 151.997
Field Notes
Description:
Chloris ventricosa is a native Australian, warm-season, perennial grass. Also commonly known as "durawigura" (D'harawal), "tall chloris" and "plump windmill grass", it is an erect, hairless grass to 1 metre tall, and with well-developed stolons (I know these as runners). No doubt this is what gives it the ability to be an excellent soil stabilizer. Flowerheads are digitate, with 3-5 straight to limp branches arranged in one plane. Flowering also occurs from late spring to autumn. Chloris ventricosa is a hardy species and is readily grazed by cattle during summer. PS: Full credit goes to Harry Rose, the Macleay Grass Man, for this information.
Habitat:
Windmill grass grows in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, parts of Queensland and throughout New South Wales, except for the south coast. This species grows on a wide variety of soils, but prefers heavier rather than sandier types. It is also tolerant of heat and drought conditions, but not overly fond of frost. Usually found in woodlands, native pastures and roadsides, although this spotting was found along a running creek and in good shade.
Notes:
At last, something that isn't a weed and is actually useful to the environment. Another smaller variety of windmill grass is Chloris truncata - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloris_truncata Both species are very similar, and both make great fodder.
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