Lesser Quaking-grass
Briza minor
Slender bright green tufted grass to 0.5 cm tall. Flat broad hairless leaves to 20 cm long with rough margins.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Flora Type | Grasses |
| Other Common Names | Shivery Grass |
| Distinctive Features | The small seeds are hanging and cone-shaped, <5 mm long with 4-8 heads in a cluster. |
| Biology | Annual. Not as serious a weed as B. maxima. |
| Native Status | Introduced |
| Flowering Time | Aug-Dec |
| Taxonomy | |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants) |
| Class | Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants) |
| Order | Poales |
| Family | Poaceae |
| Genus | Briza |
| Species | minor |
Occurs in similar habitats to Briza maxima, however extends further into the semi-arid areas of north-west Vic and into the subalps.
| Interesting Facts | |
|---|---|
| Similar Species | B. minor is smaller than B. maxima. The flower/seed clusters (spikelets) distinguish them from each other. B. minor has smaller and fewer flower/seedheads than Briza maxima. B. minor spikelets are only 4-5 mm long while those of B. maxima are 10-20 mm long. |
| Native Status | Introduced |