Cymbopogon refractus

Cymbopogon refractus, commonly known as barbed wire grass,[1] is a perennial grass native to Australia.

Cymbopogon refractus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus: Cymbopogon
Species:
C. refractus
Binomial name
Cymbopogon refractus
(R.Br.) Camus
Synonyms
  • Andropogon refractus R. Br.

Description

Cymbopogon refractus is a tufted perennial bunchgrass, without stolons or rhizomes. The culms, or stems of the grass are to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in height and branching at the nodes. The nodes are purplish and hairless.[2]

The leaves of the plant are basal and on the stems.[2] The leaf is hairless and when crushed gives off a lemon-ginger scent[3] like other grasses in the genus Cymbopogon.

The inflorescence of the plant, or the collections of flowers, are arranged on a 10–45 cm (3.9–17.7 in) long stem with clusters of short, nearly hairless branches which bend downwards when mature, giving the inflorescence a barbed-wire appearance. The spikelets are paired, one stalked the other unstalked. [3] Flowering mostly spring to autumn.[1]

Taxonomy

Cymbopogon refractus was first described by R. Brown in 1810 as Andropogon refractus,[4] but in 1921 was placed in the genus Cymbopogon by Camus.[5][4]

Habitat and ecology

Cymbopogon refractus is widespread on poor soils of roadsides, native pastures, woodlands and forests[3] of Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and Victoria.[1] C. refractus is very drought tolerant but readily frosted.[3]

References
  1. "Cymbopogon refractus". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (2010). Native Plants of the Sydney District: From Newcastle to Nowra and west to the Dividing Range (3rd ed.). Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. p. 520.
  3. Rose, Harry; Rose, Carol (2012). Grasses of Coastal NSW (1st ed.). Paterson NSW: Department of Primary Industries. p. 168. ISBN 9781742562605.
  4. "Andropogon refractus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  5. "Cymbopogon refractus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
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