Grader grass

An upright and short-lived grass growing 50-200 cm tall. Its stems, leaves and seed-heads turn reddish-brown or golden-brown in colour as they mature. Its seed-heads consist of many drooping, fan-shaped flower clusters interspersed with short 'leaves'. The mature seeds (4.5-5.5 mm long) have a cluster of hairs at the base and are topped with a large twisted awn (10-45 mm long).
A weed of roadsides, disturbed sites, waste areas, open woodlands, grasslands, pastures and crops that is mainly found in tropical and sub-tropical regions.