Coast blown-grass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coast blown-grass |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lachnagrostis
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| Species: |
billardierei
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| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Lachnagrostis billardierei, also known as coast blown-grass or sand wind grass, is a type of plant in the true grass family. Its scientific name, Lachnagrostis, means "woolly agrostis," which refers to a similar grass called Agrostis. The second part of its name, billardierei, honors a French botanist named Jacques Labillardière (who lived from 1755 to 1834).
What It Looks Like
This grass grows in smooth, bushy clumps. It can be an annual, meaning it grows and dies within one year, or a short-lived perennial, which means it lives for a few years. It can grow up to about 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall.
You'll usually find this grass growing in sandy soils right along or very close to the coast. It forms round bunches of green leaves and flowers that look like straw. The tiny seeds of this grass are carried by the wind to new places, helping it spread.
Where It Grows
This grass mostly grows in southeastern Australia and New Zealand. You can also find it in a special area called the Warren region in southwestern Western Australia.
One type of this grass, called L. b. tenuiseta, was once thought to grow only in Tasmania. In Tasmania, it's known as small-awned blown-grass. However, it has since been found growing in New Zealand too.
