NATIVE GRASSES OF THE MELBOURNE AREA WORKSHOP AT BRIMBANK PARK March 25, 1988 For the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works By Paget and Shim m en Bushland Seeds (14 Seascape Close, FTG 3156. PH:758.5416) INTRODUCTION: Native Grasses covers a wide range of grass species, of wkich there are . species suital~le for a variety of uses, induding erosion control, lawns, parklands, coastal sand dune stabilization, and low fire-hazard plantings. Most grasslands in Victoria are now exotic pastures, co m posed of grasses which have been bred for high l~iomass product5on so they produce Large a mounts of feed for stock, and these grasses are usually winter-growing and die-back severely over sum m er. These sa m e grasses do not necessarily have the rn ost desired characteristics for those orher uses. In lawns, for example, high biomass production means regular mowing, and growing in winter m cans they browning off during summer. Many of our native grasses are not as vigorous and grow over sum mcr, so do not grow so fast as to require constant mowing, and do not brown off over summer. ATTRIBUTES: The above introduction is a broad generalization, and it is important Lo study the charactemcs of each grass species to determine both its suitabtkity for any use, and the manage rn cnt it: requires. The most important attribute to contider is that of the grass's growth period. The table below ouflines the growth periods of the major native grass species: COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME GROWS COMMON WHEAT-GRASS A gropyron scabru m Winter COMMON BLOWN GRASS A grostis avenacea Winter SWAMP WALLABY--GRASS A m phibro m us neesii Sum mer RED-LEG GRASS Bothriochloa m acra Sum mer WIN D MILL G R ASS Chloris truncata Sum mer COMMON WALLABY-GRASS Danthonia caespitosa Year Round KNEED WALLABY--GRASS 11 geniculata Winter? RED-ANTHER W ALLABY-GRASS 11 pallid a Winter SLENDER W ALLABY-GRASS tt pe nicillata Year Round CLUSTERED W AL1,ABY-G RASS tl race m osa Year Round BRISTLY W ALLABY-G RASS 11 setacea Year Round COMMON REED BENT-GRASS Deyeuxia quadriseta Winter? SILKY BLUE-G R ASS Dicanthiu m sericeu m Sum rner PLUME GRASSES Dichelachne spp. Winter? COMMON HEDGEHOG GRASS Echinopogon ovatus Winter COMMON NIGGER-HEADS Ennaeopogon nigricans Year Round? COMMON LOVE-GRASS Eragrostis brownii Sum mer MAT GRASS He m arthria uncinata Sum mer BLADY GRASS Imperata cylindrica Sum mer WEEPING GRASS Microlaena stipoides Sum mer PA NICS Panicum spp. Sum mer WATER COUCH Paspalurn distichuln Su rn rner FIVE-A W NED SPEAR-GRASS Pentapogon quadzzfidus Winter? TUSSOCK GRASSES Poa spp. Winter HAIRY SPINIFEX Spinifex hursutus Sum m er? SPEAR GRASSES Stipa spp. Sum mer KANGAROO GRASS Themeda australis Sum mer BR 0 W N BEETLE-G R ASS Tripogon loliiformis Year Round? Potential fine (frequently low m own) lawn species - COMMON LOVE-GRASS Eragrostis brownii MAT GRASS Hem arthria uncinata W EEPIN G GRASS Microlaena stipoides WATER COUCH Paspalu m distichu m Potential rough lawn (parkland, mown infrequently) species - COMMON WWHIIAT-GRASS A gropyro n sca bru rn SWAMP WALLABY-GRASS A m phibro m us neesii RED-LEG GRASS Bothriochloa macra MINDMILL GRASS C hloris truncata WALLABY GRASSES Danthonia spp. COMMON NIGGER-HEADS Ennaeopogon nigricans SPEAR GRASSES Stipa spp. KANGAROO GRASS The rn eda australis Potential tussock gradand (rarely rn o wn) species - mCfi A E KANGAROO GRASS The rn eda australis Potential horticultural (orna rn ental) species - RED-LEG GRASS Bothriochloa rn acra WIND MILL G R ASS C Noris truncata RED-ANTHER WALLABY-GRASS Danthonia pallida SILKY BLUE-GRASS Dicanthiu rn sericeu rn PLUME GRASSES Dichelachne spp. COMMON HEDGEHOG-GRASS Echinopogon ovatus TUSSOCK GRASSES Poa spp. SPEAR GRASSES Stipa spp. LOCATING AND IDENTIFYING GRASSES: Native grasses mainly survive in undisturbed areas, and the minimal mowing program used by the M M B W is important in preserving and encouraging these species in your parks. The best time to go grass-hunting is late spring and early sum m er as most species will be flowering and starting to set seed and so are easier to identify than being just a clump of leaves! Most of the grasses are said to be very difficult to identify, but as with anything its easy when you know how - so take specimens to the National Herbarium of Victoria, Bird w ood A venue, South Y arra for positive identification. Paget & Shimmen Bushland Seeds is developing a crop production property where we hope in the future to. be able to take people through and show them plot after plot of each species of native grass. This will be an invaluable aid in educating people about the various species of native grasses. It is always best to obtain native grass seed from sources as close to the site on whch they are to be used, and Cro~n a similar environment. TI* ensures that local forms and variations are preserved. Paget & Shim Inen Bushland Seeds offer a speclal indigenous service - growing a crop from any source required, and producing seed from ttus crop for your use (ask us for de tails). The reference list at the end of this paper has several identification guides which are useful in learning the grasses. SEED COLLECTION: The simplest method is a pair of secateurs and a large brown paper bag. The main trick is knowing when the grass seed is ripe. M ost grass seeds go through various stages of ripeness, beginning as a milky white liquid, becoming a doughy paste, then harde~-gto a nut-me consistency. Seeds harvested in the milk or paste stages will not grow, so seeds m ust be left to mature to the hardened state before they are harvested. Mechanical harvesters are available and we have found the Poynter Miniature Harvesters to be invaluable. They are able to be varied in height and thrash the seed heads of a very wide range of species, including both grasses and herbs. DORMANCIES OR AFTER-RTPENING PERIODS: In early work with native grass seeds poor germination rates where achieved. This is mainly because of most grass seeds exhibiting dormancies or after-ripening periods. This is a time after being ripe which is required before the seed will germinate. This is a natural mechanism to ensure that the seeds will not germinate until the conditions are optimal for growth. The following list outlines known periods for each of the native grasses: COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME AFTER-RIPENIN G COMMON WHEAT-GRASS A gropyron scabru rn COMMON BLOWN GRASS A grostis avenacea 2-4 m(Adair) SWAMP W ALLABY-GRASS A m phbro rn us neesii RED-LEG GRASS Bothriochloa m acra WINDMILL GRASS C hloris truncata COMMON WALLABY-GRASS Danthonia caespitosa 3-4 m (A dair) KNEED WALLABY-GRASS 11 geniculata RED-ANTHER W ALLABY-G RASS I I pads 2-4 months ? SLENDER WALLABY-GRASS 11 penicillata CLUSTERED WALLABY-GRASS I1 race m osa Nil (Adair,85) BRISTLY W ALLABY-GRASS ~f setacea COMMON REED BENT-GRASS Deyeuxia quadriseta SILKY BLUE-G R ASS Dicanthiu m sericeu m Virtually none PLUME GRASSES Dichelachne spp. COMMON HEDGEHOG GRASS - Echinopogon ovatus COMMON NIGGER-HEADS Ennaeopogon nigricans COMMON LOVE-GRASS Eragrostis brownii Virtually none ? MAT GRASS He m arthria uncinata BLADY GRASS Irnperata cylindrica WEEPING GRASS Microlaena stipoides V. none (Adair) PA NICS Panicum spp. Virtually none WATER COUCH Paspalu m distichu m FIVE-AWNED SPEAR-GRASS Pentapogon quadrifidus TUSSOCK GRASSES Poa spp. Virtually none ll AIR Y SPINIFE X SpiniEex hursutus SPEAR GRASSES Stipa spp. 2-12 months & more KANGAROO GRASS The m eda australis Virtually none (te m ps) B R 0 W N BEETLE-G R ASS Tripogon loliifor mis To overcome these periods the seed is best dried and stored in brown paper bags. It has been found that many species will lose their after-ripening periods quicker when stored in hot conditions. SEED CLEANING: In a majority of the native grasses germination is inhibited by the surrounding £lord parts and for best results the spikelets should be cleaned down to pure seed. With small quantities this may not be justified, and liLLle is known as to the best seed cleaning methods for many of the species. The problem species are those like Wallaby Grasses (Danthonias) which have hairs which easily clog up seed cleaning equipment. We think the best piece of equipment will be a resilient tapered thr~sher,but know of none in Victoria which we can experiment with. SITE SELECTION AND SEEDBED PREPARATION: It is important to select suitable sites for the native grasses depending on both the grasses natural habitat (environ m ental require ments to ensure it will persist) and the existing suite of weeds (and ease of control depending on the species of native grass to be established). To aid in selection of suitable sites the following list of species for wet and dry sites should help: Species suitable for very wet sites: Agrosfis avenacea, A m phbro m us neesii, Echinopogon ovatus, Eragrostis brownii, Glyceria ?usfralis, Hem arthria uncinata, Panicu rn spp., - ~aspd~rn distichu m, &a I~billardieri,Poa cenera, Species suitable for very dry sites: bothriachloa macra, Chloris Runcata, Danrhania carphoides, D. pdlida, Q. race rn osa, ' gxtacea, D. tenuior, Dicanthiu m sericeu m , Fnnaeopogon .- nigricans,- Poa- sieberana, ~&a spp., Them eda australis, Tdpogon lolii£ormis. Problem weeds and their control is discussed in the management section, but the site must be selected based on their presence or control performed the season before seeding is desired. Try to select sites on the following basis: NATIVE GRASS TYPE WEEDS AT SITE Su rn m er-gro wing W inter-gro wing W inter-gro wing Sum m er-gro wing Y ear-round growing Few as possible (Bare subsoil best) The following list is a sum mary of the major exotic grass species and their gro w th periods: EXOTIC GRASS A grostis capillah A&a SPP.