Cats Tail

Vital Statistics

Name:

Cat's Tail Grass, Bottle-brush or Rainbow Grass

Latin Name

Perotis patens

Uses

The inflorescence is sometimes used in flower arrangements. Due to the few leaves, it is seldom grazed. It is sometimes a weed in disturbed places, but is easy to control mechanically.

Description

Length up to 60 cm. Tufted annual with 12 mm leaf blades. Spikelets are small, each with two awns. Leaves are wavy and are blue-green in colour. Inflorescence is an attractive soft, straight spike. This type of grass is unpalatable.

Habitat

Cat's tail Grass occurs in disturbed soils, often in dry, exposed sites. It grows mostly in poor, sandy and compacted soil; also in orchards and cultivated lands, and sometimes on stony slopes and can be found in the Limpopo Province and the Kruger National Park.

Flowers

November - April.

Notes

Cat's Tail Grass is known by a number of names throughout its range. Names include Bottlebrush Grass, Rainbow Grass and Purple-spike Perotis