Spinifex longifolius
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Beach spinifex
|image = Spinifex_longifolius_fg01.JPG
|image2 = Spinifex longifolius - Flickr - Kevin Thiele (1).jpg
|image_caption =
|genus = Spinifex
|species = longifolius
|authority = R.Br.
|synonyms_ref = [http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=443915 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
|synonyms = *Spinifex littoreus var. longifolius (R.Br.) Backer
- Spinifex fragilis R.Br.
}}
File:Spinifex longifolius in the Grant Marine Park in Cottesloe, Western Australia..JPG.]]
Spinifex longifolius, commonly known as beach spinifex, is a perennial grass that grows in sandy regions along the seacoast. It also lives in most deserts around Australia.
Description
It grows as a tussock from 30 centimetres to a metre high, and up to two metres wide. It has long flat leaves, and green or brown flowers.{{FloraBase | name = Spinifex longifolius R.Br. | id = 625}}
It is similar in appearance to S. littoreus, but that species has hard, sharp leaves capable of drawing blood, whereas the leaves of S. longifolius are a good deal softer.{{cite book | title = Handbook of the vascular plants of Ashmore and Cartier Islands |author1=Pike, G. D. |author2=Leach, G. J. |name-list-style=amp | year = 1997 | location = Canberra | publisher = Parks Australia}}
Taxonomy
Distribution and habitat
It occurs on coastal dunes of white sand, in Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand.{{GrassBase | name = Spinifex longifolius | id = imp09567}} In Australia, it occurs from Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, north and east to the western edge of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.[http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/map/winmap?taxon_id=32179 CANB specimens of Spinifex longifolius in Australasia]
Aboriginal uses
The Noongar people of southwest Western Australia used the juice from the young tips of the plant to drip into eyes as a relief for conjunctivitis.{{Cite book|last=Hansen|first=V.|title=Noongar Bush Medicine Medicinal plants of the south-west of Western Australia|last2=Horsefall|first2=J.|publisher=University of Western Australia|year=2016|isbn=9781742589060|location=Crawley, WA|pages=20}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book | last = Webster | first = R. D. | title = The Australian Paniceae (Poaceae) | year = 1987 | location = Berlin | publisher = J. Cramer}}
External links
- [https://www.gbif.org/species/4153038 GBIF Occurrence data for Spinifex longifolius]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7577555}}
Category:Bunchgrasses of Australasia
Category:Flora of the Northern Territory
Category:Flora of South Australia
Category:Angiosperms of Western Australia