Red natal grass

Melinis repens

The leaves consist of a leaf sheath, which partially encloses the stem, and a spreading leaf blade. Both the sheath and the blade of the leaf can be either hairless or hairy (i.e. glabrous or pubescent). The leaf blades (5-30 cm long and 0.2-1 cm wide) are long and narrow (i.e. linear) and may be either folded or flat. There is a small membranous structure (i.e. ligule) at the junction of the leaf sheath and leaf blade which is topped with hairs about 2 mm long (i.e. it is ciliate).

The seed-head (i.e. inflorescence) is a branched panicle (5-20 cm long), with many conspicuously hairy flower spikelets. These flower spikelets (2-12 mm long) are densely covered with silky hairs (2-6 mm long) that are initially reddish or purplish in colour. These hairs tend to lose their colour as the seed -heads mature and often end up a pinkish or silvery colour. Flowering occurs throughout the year.