Cenchrus clandestinus (Hochst. ex Chiov.) Morrone
Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) is a long-lived, perennial grass that is native to Africa. It was introduced to New Zealand as a pasture grass and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1936. The plant forms dense mats from creeping stolons and rhizomes and has bright green leaves and flowering stems up to about 60 centimetres tall. It flowers from spring to autumn, producing short flower heads that are mostly hidden within the upper leaf sheaths, which develop into seeds. It tolerates drought, grazing, salt and a wide range of soil types. It reproduces by seed and vegetatively from stolons and rhizomes. Seeds are dispersed by animals, water and human activities. Stolons and rhizomes are spread by soil movement, cultivation, dumped garden waste and other human activities. Stem and rhizome fragments readily produce new plants.
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