SafePlants

Brachyachne convergens: Spider Grass or Common Native Couch

Brachyachne convergens, commonly known as Spider Grass or Common Native Couch, is a species of grass native to Australia and also found in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Brachyachne convergens (F.Muell.) Stapf
• Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
• Subfamily: Chloridoideae
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Synonyms:
  • Cynodon convergens F. Muell.
  • Capriola convergens (F. Muell.)
  • Microchloa convergens (F. Muell.) Domin

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Western Australia and found throughout Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
• Commonly found on heavy cracking clay soils, particularly in the "downs" country of the Barkly region.
• Observed in locations such as the Georgina River and Star River valley in Queensland, Australia.

Morphological Characteristics

• Annual caespitose (tufted) grass.
• Culms (stems) are decumbent (lying along the ground with the tip ascending), ranging from 20 to 45 cm long.
• Ligule is a ciliolate membrane (a membrane with small hairs along the edge).
• Leaf blades are 3 to 6 cm long and 2 to 3 mm wide.
• Ascending or erect annual, growing up to 0.5 m high.
• Culms are geniculate at the base (bent like a knee) and branched.

Ecological Role

• Frequently associated with other grasses such as Dactyloctenium radulans.
• Forms part of the Townsville stylo-annual grass pasture ecosystem.

Further Information

• Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
• Queensland Herbarium, DSITIA.
• Discover Life's page.
• Tropicos.
• The Plant List.
• Encyclopedia of Life.
• Kew Grasses Database.
• Drone-Application-Server database publication for Brachyachne convergens biodroid.Taxa.149342
• Wikimedia Commons.