Cenchrus caudatus

Species

African feather grass (Cenchrus caudatus) is a long-lived, perennial grass that is native to Africa. It was introduced to New Zealand as a contaminant of pasture seed and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1940. The plant forms dense tussocks with narrow leaves and flowering stems up to about 1 metre tall. It flowers from summer to autumn, producing cylindrical, bristly seed heads, which develop into seeds enclosed by barbed bristles. It tolerates drought and a range of soil types. It reproduces by seed. Seeds are dispersed by animals, clothing, machinery and human activities. The barbed seed heads readily attach to fur, feathers and clothing.

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