- Reference
- Relat.Commiss.Linhas Telegr.Estratég.Matto Grosso Amazonas 5Bot.(11):87 (1922)
- Conservation Code
- Not threatened
- Naturalised Status
- Alien to Western Australia
- Name Status
- Current
Semi-decumbent, tussocky perennial, grass-like or herb, to 0.3 m high. Swampy areas.
Distribution
- IBRA Regions
- Central Kimberley, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Victoria Bonaparte, Warren.
- IBRA Subregions
- Keep, Northern Jarrah Forest, Pentecost, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
- IMCRA Regions
- WA South Coast.
- Local Government Areas (LGAs)
- Albany, Augusta Margaret River, Busselton, Cambridge, Denmark, Harvey, Kalamunda, Manjimup, Perth, Victoria Park, Wyndham-East Kimberley.
Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)
Alternative Names. Mat grass, durrington grass.
General Biology. Growth form. Grass. Life form. Perennial, rhizomatous/stoloniferous. Reproduction. Seed, rhizomes and stolons. Dispersal. Wind, water movement, vehicles, grazing animals. Photosynthetic Pathway. C4. Seedbank persistence. Short, days to 1 year. Fire response. Fire is rare in its natural habitat, however plants quickly recover and resprout.
Notes. Naturalised in Africa, Asia, other parts of Australia and the Pacific Islands. Prefers sandy, moist soils and tolerant of heavy soils, low pH and poor fertility. Does not withstand prolonged flooding. Has poor drought resistance and moderate shade tolerance. Rapidly spreads by stolons and rhizomes under favourable conditions and produces prolific lightweight seed. Can withstand heavy defoliation and grazing.
Additional information. Origin. Tropical America. History of use/introduction. Widely used in the United States to prevent erosion and stabilise road embankments, pasture, lawns. Similar exotic species. Axonopus fissifolius.
Suggested method of management and control. Spray when actively growing from spring to autumn with 13 ml/L Fusilade® Forte + wetting agent or for generic fluazifop-p (212g/L active ingredient) 8ml/L + wetting agent. 2,2_DPA at 4.8 kg/ha may also be effective. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.
Management Calendar
| Calendar Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dormant | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||
| Active Growth | Y | Y | Y | O | O | Y | Y | ||||||
| Germination | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
| Flowering | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||
| Fruiting | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
| Optimum Treatment | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.
References
- Baskin, C.C. & Baskin, J.M. (1998) Ecology of seed dormancy and germination in grasses. In Population biology of grasses (ed. G.P. Cheplick) . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
- Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
- Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (2009) Axonopus affinis Chase, species profile. URL: http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/gbase/DATA/pf000179.htm - Accessed August 2009.
- Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
- Moore, C.B. & Moore, J.H. (2002) Herbiguide, the pesticide expert on a disk. Herbiguide, PO Box 44 Albany, Western Australia, 6330.
- Murtagh, G.J. (1977) Use of herbicide to reduce grass competition in a white clover sward. Tropical grasslands, 11 (2): 121-124.
- United States Department of Agriculture (2001) The Plants Database, Version 3.1. URL: http://plants.usda.gov - Accessed December 2007. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.