Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.): presenting the arid Northern Territory experience to our South Australian neighbours
Helen PuckeyA and David AlbrechtB, Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, PO Box 2130, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 0871, Australia.
A Wildlife Management Unit; B Herbarium.
Introduction
Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) is a perennial tussock grass native to Africa, India and Asia with a wide naturalized distribution in Australia (Butler and Fairfax 2003). In arid Northern Territory (NT) it has spread widely from introduction points and now occurs extensively across all land tenures. In the early years of establishment, C. ciliaris was generally viewed in the region as a desirable species for land rehabilitation and pastoralism. However, in recent years there has been growing concern of its impacts on biodiversity. In this paper we examine some of the issues associated with the proliferation of C. ciliaris in arid NT, particularly from a conservation perspective.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2004) 19 (2) 69-72.