Plant Name
Scientific Name: Melinis repens
Synonyms: Rhynchelytrum repens, R. roseum, Saccharum repens, Tricholaena repens, T. rosea
Common Names: Rose Natal Grass, Rose Natalgrass, Natal Redtop
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit: Graminoid
Arizona Native Status: Introduced. This naturalized, weedy grass is native to South Africa.
Habitat: Desert (upper elevation), Upland. This showy grass with its masses of fluffy, pink panicles grows in open and disturbed areas and is most often seen growing along roadsides.
Flower Color: Inconspicuous
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Height: To 3 feet (91 cm) tall
Description: The fluffy panicles of flower spikelets and fruit are covered in reddish, fading to silvery pink hairs. The leaf sheaths are green to tinged reddish and linear in shape.
Special Characteristics
Allergenic – The pollen is a mild allergen.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass: Commelinidae
Order: Cyperales
Family: Poaceae – Grass family
Genus: Melinis P. Beauv. – stinkgrass
Species: Melinis repens (Willd.) Zizka – rose Natal grass
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