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Neverfail Grass(Eragrostis Setifolia)

Neverfail Grass (Eragrostis setifolia) is a native Australia C4 perennial grass (Prendergast, Hattersley, Stone & Lazarides, 1986). The grass is widespread and common throughout the range lands of Australia where it is commonly utilized as a pasture grass (Cunningham, Mulham, Milthorpe & Leigh, 1981). It is listing as a least concern species throughout most of its range with the exception of Victoria where it is listed as vulnerable (ALA, 2019).

Taxonomy

Neverfail belongs to Eragrostis-the most species rich genus within the sub-family Chloridoideae (Van den Borre, 1994). The genus was first described by Nathanael Matthaeus von Wolf in 1776 and currently has approximately 350 species (Van den Borre, 1994). Neverfail grass was classified as a species by Nees in 1843 (Hooker, 1843). Description Neverfail Grass is an erect perennial tussock forming grass (Lazarides, 1997). It may reach a height of 60cm however it is most commonly between 10-50cm tall (Cunningham et al., 1981; Lazarides, 1997). The species has a poorly developed rhizome and produces a compact tussock (Cunnigham et al., 1981). The morphology of the cataphylls can vary from hairless to bearing hair like projections (Lazarides, 1997). Cataphylls are often either shiny or leathery and may be oval shaped or tapered (Lazarides, 1997). The leaves are generally rough and glabrous (Lazarides, 1997). The Culms are wrapped in broad sheaths (Lazarides, 1997). Leaves are generally about 4-13cm in length, rolled and taper to point (Lazarides, 1997). The flowers of Neverfail Grass are dense and pointed (Cunningham et al., 1981). They are approximately 3-12cm in length and reach a width of 1.5-3cm (Cunningham et al. 1981). The flowers range from pale to light purple in colour and are attached via short branches up to 3cm in length (Cunningham et al., 1981). Neverfail grass produces 10-50 spikelets with a pale to slightly purple shade (Cunningham et al., 1981). Spikelets reach approximately 2cm in length and 1.5cm in width (Cunningham et al., 1981). Seeds are small only reaching 0.08mg in mass (Silcock, Williams & Smith, 1990).

Distribution

Never fail Grass is an Australian native common throughout the semi-arid interior of Australia, particuarly in areas receiving <400mm mean annual precipitation (ALA, 2019). It is found in all mainland Australian states with the highest density of records in Western New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory (ALA, 2019). It tends to be most commonly associated with semi-arid woodlands and shrub-lands including Coolibah and black box woodlands and salt bush communities (Cunningham et al., 1998; Lazarides, 1997). Neverfail is also a common component of native grasslands including Mitchell grasslands (Davidson, 1954). Neverfail is most abundant in relatively moist refuges within its habitat range (Brandy, Moseby & Adams, 1999). It tends to be associated with low lying areas (Newsome, 1965). The most favourable habitat for neverfail is land that is subject to periodic inundation such as gilgais and floodplains (Newsome, 1965). Neverfail is most abundant in clay dominated soils ranging from red, brown, grey or black clay (Lazarides, 1997). The affinity to clay soils is due to the high water holding capacity of these soils (Brandy et al., 1999). It is less common in sandy areas however it may also inhabit sandy/loam environments that are subject to flooding (e.g. near flood plains or water courses), (Lazarides, 1997). It is occasionally found on found in saline or calcareous soils (Lazarides, 1997). Neverfail is tolerant or even favoured by infertile soils (Friedel, Cellier & Nicholson, 1980).

Ecology and uses

Neverfail Grass is a summer growing (C4) grass (Prendergast et al., 1986). It is capable of year round flowering and seed set (Cunningham et al., 1981). It tends to respond positively to rainfall events with growth, germination and flowering coinciding with rainfall and water availability (Grice, Bowman & Toole, 1995). Germination is highly dependent on rainfall and is severely depauparate in the absence of moisture (Grice et al., 1995; Silcock et al., 1990). It is quite drought tolerant and tends to die back during severe water shortages only to re-sprout again in periods of rain (Cunnigham et al., 1981). Neverfail also appears to readily colonize burnt areas such as burnt spinifex grasslands (Morton, Masters & Hobbs, 1993). It is commonly grazed by native herbivores such as macro pods, the red kangaroo in particular preferably grazes it Neverfail (Norbury, Norbury & Hacker, 1993). Its main use for humans is its value for livestock grazing (Cuningham et al., 1981). Neverfail is relatively resilient and productive and thus it is often considered a useful fodder plant (Lazarides, 1997). Is tolerant to grazing when compared to other native grasses (such as Mitchell grass) and can withstand grazing pressure that would lead to the elimination of other native grasses (Friedel, 1997). In addition to being consumed by native wildlife it provides important habitat for native species such as the plains rat (Pseudomys australis), (Brandle, Moseby & Adams, 1999).

References

Atlas of Living Australia. (2019). Eragrostis setifolia Nees. Retrieved from https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2900475

Brandle, R., Moseby, K. E., & Adams, M. (1999). The distribution, habitat requirements and conservation status of the plains rat, Pseudomys australis (Rodentia: Muridae). Wildlife Research, 26(4), 463-477.

Davidson, D. (1954). The Mitchell grass association of the Longreach district.

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2005). Advisory list of rare or threatened plants in Victoria—2005. East Melbourne (Victoria).

Friedel, M. H. (1997). Discontinuous change in arid woodland and grassland vegetation along gradients of cattle grazing in central Australia. Journal of Arid Environments, 37(1), 145-164.

Friedel, M. H., Cellier, K. M., & Nicolson, K. P. (1980). Nutrient deficiencies in central Australian semi-desert rangelands, with reference to decline in range condition. The Rangeland Journal, 2(2), 151-161.

Grice, A. C., Bowman, A., & Toole, I. (1995). Effects of temperature and age on the germination of naked caryopses of indigenous grasses of western New South Wales. The Rangeland Journal, 17(2), 128-137.

Hooker, W. J. (Ed.). (1843). Hooker's journal of botany and Kew Garden miscellany (Vol. 1). Reeve, Benham and Reeve.

Lazarides, M. (1997). A revision of Eragrostis (Eragrostideae, Eleusininae, Poaceae) in Australia. Australian Systematic Botany, 10(1), 77-187.

Morton, S. R., Masters, P., & Hobbs, T. J. (1993). Estimates of abundance of burrowing frogs in spinifex grasslands of the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory. Beagle: Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, The, 10, 67.

Morton, S. R., Masters, P., & Hobbs, T. J. (1993). Estimates of abundance of burrowing frogs in spinifex grasslands of the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory. Beagle: Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, The, 10, 67.

Newsome, A. E. (1965). The abundance of red kangaroos, Megaleia rufa (Desmarest), in central Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 13(2), 269-288.

Norbury, G. L., Norbury, D. C., & Hacker, R. B. (1993). Impact of Red Kangaroos on the Pasture Layer in the Western Australian Arid Zone. The Rangeland Journal, 15(1), 12-23.

Prendergast, H. D. V., Hattersley, P. W., Stone, N. E., & Lazarides, M. (1986). C4 acid decarboxylation type in Eragrostis (Poaceae) patterns of variation in chloroplast position, ultrastructure and geographical distribution. Plant, Cell & Environment, 9(4), 333-344.

Silcock, R. G., Williams, L. M., & Smith, F. (1990). Quality and storage characteristics of the seeds of important native pasture species in south-west Queensland. The Rangeland Journal, 12(1), 14-20. Van den Borre, A., & Watson, L. (1994). The infrageneric classification of Eragrostis (Poaceae). Taxon, 383-422.