1. Guides
  2. South Georgia Flora
  3. matgrass

matgrass

Nardus stricta

Summary 3

Nardus is a genus of plants belonging to the grass family, containing the single species Nardus stricta, known as matgrass. It is placed in its own tribe Nardeae within the subfamily Pooideae. The name derives from nardos (νάρδος), the ancient Greek name for this plant. It is not to be confused with spikenard, Nardostachys jatamansi.

Densely tufted mat-forming perennial grass with short rhizomes; flowering stems up to 40 cm tall, extending well beyond a basal mat of leaf sheaths, 1.5-4.5 cm tall. Ligule: ligule of basal leaves blunt 0.4-0.8 mm tall, those on the flowering stem leaves bluntly pointed, usually much longer 1-2 mm. Leaves mostly basal with usually just one on the flowering stem; leaf blades needle-like, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, conspicuously grooved on the underside. Flowers: panicle 3-9.5 cm long; spikelets 6.5-11 mm long including the awn; lemma tapering into an awn at tip 1.5-3 mm long. Fruits dispersed by wind; viability in the soil 1-5 year

Distribution 4

Maiviken, Grytviken and Leith Harbour

Comments 4

Densely tufted grass with needle like leaves. Slow growing with a wide range of environmental tolerances.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Kelvin Floyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kelvin Floyd
  2. (c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/4868338899/
  3. Adapted by stuwhiterod from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nardus_stricta
  4. Adapted by stuwhiterod from a work by (c) Kelvin Floyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Group Grass
Category Non Native
Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers