POACEAE

M. s. var. breviseta, M. s. var. stipoides

Tufted slender perennial grass to 70 cm high. Green all year with rhizomes. Slender green drooping flowerhead, summer-autumn, and throughout the year.

Moist, well-drained, moderately to highly fertile soils in semi-shaded areas. Common along creeklines. Tolerates drought and frost. Prefers 300 to 500 mm rainfall in the Riverina region.

Collect light-brown ripe seed by running stems through fingers when mature, as seeds drop easily. Propagate from seed (germinates readily) or division.

Good habitat, providing cover for reptiles and seeds for native birds. Food for butterfly caterpillars. Decorative ornamental for rockeries, groundcover under trees, and low-maintenance native lawns. Good forage, highly competitive, increases under grazing and rising fertility.