A new species of desert grass has been discovered in the desert in Australia’s south-west.
The Desert Sandgrass (Hemigryphium h. nova) is a small grass that is native to the south-east of Australia.
It has a soft, fibrous texture and is commonly used as a natural fertiliser and mulch in the state of Victoria.
It is native in South-East Queensland, and is often cultivated as a weed for its green colour, and high moisture content.
It can grow up to 40 metres tall, and the grasses tend to grow tall.
Scientists say the desert sandgrass is the largest grass in Australia.
Professor Mike Brown, from the University of Western Australia, who was the lead author on the study, said the desert grass is one of the most diverse species found in the area.
“It has many varieties and species, but all of them are fairly common in the environment,” Professor Brown said.
“Most of the desert sands are a grasses, but it has a variety of species that are found in all the deserts in Australia, and they all do a great job in their natural habitats.”
Professor Brown said the grass had been found growing in the wet and dry environments of the southern deserts.
“The sand is dry in the southern desert, but wet in the central desert,” he said.
“In the central deserts, where it is drier, the sand is less dense and therefore, you get the largest sand grass that we have found.”
He said the new species is one that was introduced into Australia during the last 100 years.
“We have a few species that have been introduced from overseas, so we can trace their origins back to the Middle Ages and beyond,” Professor Wood said.
It will be the first species to be introduced to Australia since the 1950s.
“They will likely be found in large numbers in the region,” Professor Michael Cairns, from Griffith University, said.
He said it was a “good example of the potential of Australian natural habitats”.
“Australia has a great diversity of flora and fauna, and there are a lot of exciting new species coming on the scene that we will be able to use as a resource in our agricultural areas,” he added.
“This desert sand grass is just one example of this.”
Topics:gardening,environment,environmental-management,science-and-technology,environment-policy,gardens,australia,nsw,wodonga-2360More stories from Victoria
