Texas Needle Grass

(Nassella leucotricha)

Image: Texas needle grass, © RG & FJ Richardson, Australian Plant Image Index.

What is Texas needle grass?

Texas needle grass is a tussock forming perennial grass, which is highly invasive and can form dense infestations, particularly on poorly managed sites. It prefers open grassland sites similar to those favoured by native grassland species.
Texas needle grass is unpalatable, and can severely reduce the carrying capacity of pastures.
Texas needle grass is a declared weed in Tasmania under the Tasmanian Weed Management Act 1999. The importation, sale and distribution of Texas needle grass are prohibited in Tasmania.
Closely related to serrated tussock, and Chilean needle grass, both Weeds of National Significance (WoNS).

How to identify Texas needle grass

Texas needle grass is a perennial tussock-forming grass in the spear grass group (Tribe Stipeae). It grows to about 1-1.5 m high. The weed thrives under conditions of moderate soil disturbance and poses a threat to agriculture and native vegetation.
The leaves of Texas needle grass are mid to dark green leaves up to 5mm wide and a ligule to 3mm long. Hairs along the leaf surface and a small tuft of hairs at the junction of the leaf blade and sheath are distinctive features.
Texas needle grass produces 2 types of seeds, panicle (normal) and Cleistogene (stem and base). Cleistogene seeds form at the base of the tussock enabling reproduction even if flowering has been prevented by grazing or slashing.
Flowering time is from October to February.
See the Nassella species identification comparison table below for more information on identification.

Image: Texas needle grass seed head, © RG & FJ Richardson, Australian Plant Image Index.

Texas needle grass in Tasmania

The first infestation of Texas needle grass in Tasmania was discovered in a paddock near Rokeby, southern Tasmania in late 2010.
Refer to Management of Texas Needle Grass by Municipality (Section 12), for information on the distribution of Texas needle grass by municipality.

What is the legal status of Texas needle grass in your area?

The legal responsibilities of landholders and other stakeholders in dealing with Texas needle grass are laid out in the Texas Needle Grass Statutory Weed Management Plan.
Use Table 1 (Zone A Municipalities) to find out whether this weed occurs in your municipality.

What you need to do?

If you locate Texas needle grass anywhere in Tasmania, or if you find a plant that you think could be Texas needle grass, immediately contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3777 to report this weed.

Nassella species identification comparison table

	Lobed Needle Grass	Cane Needle Grass	Texas Needle Grass	Chilean Needle Grass	Serrated Tussock
Status	Introduced Declared; an Alert List Weed	Introduced; Declared; an Alert List Weed.	Introduced; Declared; an Alert List Weed.	Introduced; Declared; Weed of National Significance.	Introduced; Declared; Weed of National Significance
Form	Tussock	Tussock	Tussock	Tussock	Tussock
Seed (outer casing of seed, the 'glume', removed to reveal detail.)
"Corona", the collar at seed base	Present	Present	Present	Present	Absent
'Awn", the bristle like seed tail	45-85mm double bent firmly fixed to seed coat	35-40mm Twisted and bent	35-60mm long Bent twice with 10-20mm to first bend	25-35mm Straight or double bent. Firmly fixed seed coat	10mm Straight Readily detached from seed coat
'Cleistogenes', or stem seeds	Absent	Present	Present	Present	Absent
'Ligule', the flap at leaf base
Overall dimensions	0.5-1.0m high 0.3 -0.5m across	to 1m high 0.3m across	1-1.5m high 0.2 -0.5m across	1-1.5m high 0.3 -0.6m across	1m high, 0.6m acros
* Images in table: © 2003 Weed Management Guides, Lobed needle grass, Chilean needle grass, Serrated tussock, C'wlth Dept of the Env't & Heritage. © Chilean Needle Grass & Serrated Tussock Ligule photos: Harry Rose (Wikimedia).

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