Axonopus fissifolius (Raddi) Kuhlm.
narrow-leaved carpet grass
Narrow, glabrous, shortly rhizomatous, ± fan-shaped tufts, from rather woody, creeping, sometimes arching stolons, to 2 mm diam.; often forming dense mats to 1 m diam., with rather short, wide leaves and wiry, ± filiform, very narrow, ± drooping culms; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath whitish green to light brown, sometimes purplish, coriaceous, glabrous, compressed and strongly keeled; margins wide, membranous. Ligule 0.2-0.3 mm, minutely ciliate, hairs < 0.5 mm, sometimes extending as a contra-ligule. Leaf-blade (2)-5-12 cm × 2-7 mm, linear, scarcely narrowed above, flat or folded, often keeled towards tip, stiffly herbaceous, glabrous, ribs few, well-spaced; margins scarcely thickened, with a few scattered long hairs near base and scabrid near obtuse tip. Culm (6)-20-55 cm, nodes glabrous, or rarely villous, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence of 2-3, rarely 4, slender, ± erect racemes. Racemes 3.5-7.5 cm; rachis triangular, minutely scabrid on narrow wings, bearing close-set, subsessile, alternate spikelets in 2 rows. Spikelets c. 2 mm, green or purplish, oblong-elliptic, obtuse or subacute. Lower glume 0. Upper glume = spikelet, firmly membranous, 4-nerved, the 2 pairs of nerves near each margin, outer internerves often with a few soft hairs. Lower floret: lemma similar to upper glume. Upper floret: lemma 1.6-1.8 mm, elliptic, obtuse, thinly crustaceous, glabrous, shining, cream, very minutely punctulate-striolate; palea of same texture, slightly shorter and narrower than lemma, keels very rounded; anthers 0.7-1 mm; caryopsis c. 1.2 × 0.7 mm.
N.: northern half; S.: Nelson (Farewell Spit, north-western coast to Big R., Pupu Springs near Takaka); K.: Raoul Id. Disturbed ground, waste land, pastures, lawns, roadsides, tracks in open forest and margins of scrub.
Naturalised from America.
Found also on open heated soils on trackside in thermal area at Wairakei D. R. Given, L. Coham & C. Ecroyd 13 July 1976 (CHR 276963).
Field, T. R. O. and Forde, M. B. Proc. N.Z. Grasslands Assoc. 51: 47-50 (1990) reported that narrow-leaved carpet grass had recently become an alarmingly invasive lawn weed in northern North Id.
Until recently A. fissifolius was known in New Zealand and elsewhere as A. affinis Chase.
