AusTraits

Imperata cylindrica

Explore the data for this taxon in the portal

Family Poaceae

Taxonomy: Imperata cylindrica (L.) P.Beauv.

Synonyms: 7 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Imperata arundinacea Cirillo (taxonomic synonym)
  • Imperata cylindrica (L.) P.Beauv. var. cylindrica (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Imperata cylindrica var. major (Nees) C.E.Hubb. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Imperata koenigii var. major Nees (taxonomic synonym)
  • Lagarus cylindricus Du Puy & Telford (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Lagurus cylindricus L. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Saccharum cylindricum (L.) Lam. (nomenclatural synonym)
Misapplied names: 1 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Imperata arundinacea Cirillo (misapplied)

Distribution (APC): WA, CoI (naturalised), ChI (naturalised), NT, SA, Qld, NSW, LHI (naturalised), ACT, Vic, Tas

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, NT eFlora, SA eFlora, Vic Flora, Florabase, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: Cheal_2017 (5), Crowley_2007 (2), Draper_2023 (3), Fonseca_2000 (9), Hughes_1992 (4), Jordan_2001 (7), Kew_2019_1 (11), Kew_2019_5 (1), Kew_2019_6 (21), Kubiak_2009 (4), Leishman_1995 (5), Leishman_2007 (23), Metcalfe_2020_2 (21), Moore_2019_2 (55), NHNSW_2014_2 (5), NHNSW_2022 (4), NHNSW_2023 (10), NSWFRD_2014 (11), NTH_2022 (4), NTH_2023 (8), Nano_2011 (2), RBGV_2022 (4), RBGV_2023 (7), SAH_2022 (3), SAH_2023 (5), Schmidt_1993 (1), Simpson_2021 (2), Sjostrom_2006 (4), WAH_2022_2 (4), WAH_2023_2 (4), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), Westman_1977 (11), White_2020 (40), Williams_2011 (10), Yang_2023 (1), eFLOWER_Dun_2022 (11). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 86 traits from 325 records in 37 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
flower morphology
  • flower_colour (categorical): red_brown (1); white_cream (2) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; eFLOWER_Dun_2022]
  • sex_type (categorical): hermaphrodite (3); monoecious (1) [sources: Jordan_2001; Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_length (numerical): 1.15 mm (1-1.3 mm) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • fruit_type (categorical): caryopsis (7) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2023; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; Sjostrom_2006; WAH_2023_2]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): dry (3) [sources: Jordan_2001; Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): dehiscent (1); indehiscent (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 3372.18 mm2 (819.7-9659.8 mm2) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Leishman_1995; Metcalfe_2020_2; Moore_2019_2]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 530 mm (30-1000 mm) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 8.73 mm (2-20 mm) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2023; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 960.89 mg (71-3698 mg) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Moore_2019_2]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 251.93 g/m2 (86.21-620.91 g/m2) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Leishman_1995; Leishman_2007; Moore_2019_2]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.36 g/g (0.31-0.4 g/g) [sources: Moore_2019_2]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): linear (1) [sources: NTH_2023]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2014_2]
  • leaf_lamina_posture (categorical): flat (3) [sources: NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): alternate (2) [sources: NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (4) [sources: NHNSW_2023; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c4 (5) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Moore_2019_2; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): graminoid (9); herb (7); tussock (4) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Hughes_1992; Leishman_1995; Leishman_2007; Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2022; NSWFRD_2014; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • life_form (categorical): hemicryptophyte (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Williams_2011]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (10) [sources: Cheal_2017; Jordan_2001; Moore_2019_2; NHNSW_2022; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; Simpson_2021; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2023]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): herbaceous (6) [sources: NHNSW_2022; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): erect (1); rhizomatous (5); tufted (1) [sources: Moore_2019_2; NHNSW_2022; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; WAH_2022_2]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (3) [sources: White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • root_structure (categorical): arbuscular_mycorrhizal (3) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Schmidt_1993; Williams_2011]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (2) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): abiotic (2); self (1); wind (2) [sources: Draper_2023; Metcalfe_2020_2; White_2020]
  • pollination_system (categorical): abiotic (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): anemochory (8) [sources: Draper_2023; Hughes_1992; Kew_2019_5; Leishman_1995; Metcalfe_2020_2; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • dispersers (categorical): wind (4) [sources: Draper_2023; Leishman_1995; White_2020]
  • flowering_time (categorical): yynnnnnnnnny (3); yynnnnnnnnyy (1); yyyyynnnnnnn (2) [sources: Hughes_1992; NHNSW_2014_2; NSWFRD_2014; White_2020]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): transient (2) [sources: White_2020]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): vegetative (4) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2014_2; White_2020]
  • clonal_spread_mechanism (categorical): belowground_clonal (1); rhizome (1) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Williams_2011]
  • storage_organ (categorical): rhizome (4) [sources: NHNSW_2023; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; WAH_2023_2]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_stem_buds (2); rhizome (4) [sources: Crowley_2007; Moore_2019_2; NSWFRD_2014; Nano_2011; Simpson_2021]
nutrient and stable isotope
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 0.16 mg (0.06-0.49 mg) [sources: Kew_2019_1; Metcalfe_2020_2]
  • seed_length (numerical): 6 mm (6-6 mm) [sources: Jordan_2001]
  • seed_width (numerical): 0.8 mm (0.8-0.8 mm) [sources: Jordan_2001]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Moore_2019_21255N. A. Moore, J. S. Camac, and J. W. Morgan. “Effects of drought and fire on resprouting capacity of 52 temperate Australian perennial native grasses”. New Phytologist 221.3 (2018), pp. 1424-1433. doi: 10.1111/nph.15480.
White_20202040M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
Leishman_2007723M. R. Leishman, T. Haslehurst, A. Ares, and Z. Baruch. “Leaf trait relationships of native and invasive plants: community- and global-scale comparisons”. New Phytologist 176.3 (2007), pp. 635-643. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02189.x.
Kew_2019_6121Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Germination data from the Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Metcalfe_2020_21921D. Metcalfe. “Unpublished data: Traits of Poaceae spp, CSIRO”. 2020.
Kew_2019_1111Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
NSWFRD_2014711B. Kenny, C. Orscheg, E. Tasker, M. A. Gill, and R. Bradstock. NSW Flora Fire Response Database, v2.1. database. NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2014.
Westman_19771111W. Westman and R. V. Roggers. “Nutrient stocks in a subtropical eucalypt forest, North Stradbroke Island”. Austral Ecology 2.4 (1977), pp. 447-460. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1977.tb01160.x.
eFLOWER_Dun_2022911L. Dun and H. Sauquet. “Unpublished: Floral traits for GAP taxa, University of New South Wales, Australia”. 2022.
NHNSW_2023810N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Williams_20111010R. P. Duncan, S. E. Clemants, R. T. Corlett, A. K. Hahs, M. A. McCarthy, M. J. McDonnell, M. W. Schwartz, K. Thompson, P. A. Vesk, and N. S. G. Williams. “Plant traits and extinction in urban areas: a meta-analysis of 11 cities”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20.4 (2011), pp. 509-519. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00633.x.
Fonseca_200059C. R. Fonseca, J. M. Overton, B. Collins, and M. Westoby. “Shifts in trait-combinations along rainfall and phosphorus gradients”. Journal of Ecology 88 (2000), pp. 964-977. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2745.2000.00506.x.
NTH_202368D. of Land Resource Management and N. T. of Australia. Northern Territory Flora Online. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://eflora.nt.gov.au/.
Jordan_200177G. J. Jordan. “An investigation of long-distance dispersal based on species native to both Tasmania and New Zealand”. Australian Journal of Botany 49.3 (2001), pp. 333-340. doi: 10.1071/bt00024.
RBGV_202377VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
Cheal_201755D. Cheal. Growth stages and tolerable fire intervals for Victoria's native vegetation data sets. Fire and adaptive management, report no. 84. Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, 2010.
Leishman_199555M. R. Leishman, M. Westoby, and E. Jurado. “Correlates of seed size variation: A comparison among five temperate floras”. Journal of Ecology 83 (1995), pp. 517-529. doi: 10.2307/2261604.
NHNSW_2014_255Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
SAH_202345S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
Hughes_199244L. Hughes and B. Rice. “Unpublished data: Traits data for 643 species, Macquarie University”. 1992.
Kubiak_200934P. J. Kubiak. “Fire responses of bushland plants after the January 1994 wildfires in northern Sydney”. Cunninghamia 11.1 (2009), pp. 131-165.
NHNSW_202244N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
NTH_202244D. of Land Resource Management and N. T. of Australia. Northern Territory Flora Online. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://eflora.nt.gov.au/.
RBGV_202244VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
Sjostrom_200644A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
WAH_2022_244Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
WAH_2023_234Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
Draper_202333J. T. Draper, S. Delean, J. G. Conran, P. Weinstein, and B. S. Simpson. “Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia”. Australian Journal of Botany unknown.unknown (2023), p. unknown. doi: 10.1071/BT22110.
SAH_202233S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
Crowley_200722G. Crowley, M. Gardener, and M. Marrinan. Tropical savannas fire response database. 2007. url: [www.landmanager.org.au](www.landmanager.org.au).
Nano_201122C. E. M. Nano and P. J. Clarke. “How do drought and fire influence the patterns of resprouting in Australian deserts?”. Plant Ecology 212 (2011), pp. 2095-2110. doi: 10.1007/s11258-011-9988-x.
Simpson_202122K. J. Simpson, E. C. Jardine, S. Archibald, E. J. Forrestel, C. E. R. Lehmann, G. H. Thomas, and C. P. Osborne. “Resprouting grasses are associated with less frequent fire than seeders”. New Phytologist 230 (2021), pp. 832-844. doi: 10.1111/nph.17069.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Kew_2019_511Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed dispersal data from the Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Schmidt_199311S. Schmidt. “Unpublished data: Compilation of mycorrhizal status data, University of Queensland”. 1993.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.
Yang_202311S. Yang. “Unpublished data: Fire response traits scored from national and state floras and the taxonomic literature, University of New South Wales”. 2023.