Spinifex longifolius

Beach Spinifex
Spinifex longifolius
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Spinifex
Species: S. longifolius
Binomial name
Spinifex longifolius
R.Br.
Synonyms[1]
  • Spinifex littoreus var. longifolius (R.Br.) Backer
  • Spinifex fragilis R.Br.
Spinifex longifolius in the Grant Marine Park in Cottesloe, Western Australia.

Spinifex longifolius, commonly known as Beach Spinifex, is a perennial grass that grows in sandy regions along the seacoast.

Description

It grows as a tussock from 30 centimetres to a metre high, and up to two metres wide. It has long flat leaves, and green or brown flowers.[2]

It is similar in appearance to S. littoreus, but that species has hard, sharp leaves capable of drawing blood, whereas the leaves of S. longifolius are a good deal softer.[3]

Taxonomy

It was first published by Robert Brown in his 1810 Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.[4]

Distribution and habitat

It occurs on coastal dunes of white sand, in Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand.[1][5] In Australia, it occurs from Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, north and east to the western edge of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. "Spinifex longifolius R.Br.". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.
  3. Pike, G. D. and Leach, G. J. (1997). Handbook of the vascular plants of Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Canberra: Parks Australia.
  4. "Spinifex longifolius R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  5. Clayton, W.D.; Harman, K.T.; Williamson, H. "Spinifex longifolius". GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  6. CANB specimens of Spinifex longifolius in Australasia

Further reading