The white sand dunes were battered by the heat of tropical sun. Gentle ocean breeze enhanced the fresh smell of salty fragrance of the mighty ocean. With our fingers entwined, we laboriously climbed the thick sand of the dune. Meanwhile, two balls of inflorescence Spinifex flowers were blown by the tender wind. They seemed to tantalizingly roll together. Sometimes, they were apart, one was rolling after the other. Other times they were playfully attached.
You broke the silence by saying that we were exactly looked like those two rolling balls of Spinifex grass. We were two people in love exploring the lonely white sand dunes of the Indian Ocean……….”
If you love to stroll on sand dunes or the beach near the ocean, you will probably notice this odd looking grass. When the wind is blowing, it will roll and roll until it will have a chance to get buried in the sand and start a new life. This grass often grows on the coast line and sand dunes. They have common names such as “Beach Spinifex” or “Hairy Spinifex”. These grasses which are indigenous to the coastal areas of Australasia and Indonesia, are from Poaceae family. The largest species are: “Spinifex sericeus” (= Spinifex hirsutus) and “Spinifex littoreus” (=Spinifex squarrosus). S. sericeus can be found in many coastal areas in New Zealand and Australia from Queensland to Victoria , while S. Littoreus is mainly grow only on western part of Australia and Indonesia.
Beach Spinifex is perennial grass with separate male and female plants and can grow around 30 cm high. The spikes branch out by stems (stolons) and rhizomes and they can cover a large area. The greyish green leaves are sharp and fury *furry. The leaves grow from a node which are wider on the bottom. The female flowers are rounded spikes of inflorescence that detach themselves when they are matured. The propagation can be done both by the seeds or by division.
This plant is a pretty addition to the beach and it is very important for binding the dunes to stop the sand from erosion.
Link to an interesting post on Spinifex littoreus:
http://www.plantsdontlie.com/wordpress/analogies-through-the-water-surface.html
Lois
Mar 10, 2010 @ 21:55:13
As spinifex grass (S. littoreus) is also native to Indonesia, I will add here the Indonesian names for this species.
Common Indonesian names are “Rumput Lari” or “Rumput Gulung”. While local names in Javanese language are: Jantran, Ketranan or Tikusan. In Sundanese it is called Jukut jongkrang and in Madura island it is known as Rebba angin (Info source from: geohazard.blog.com/2008/10/17/gumuk-pasir-cagar-biosfer)
Frans
Mar 15, 2010 @ 04:13:59
I’m sure this grass is the one that is so sharp…If you grab it too hard, you can get nasty cuts on your hand… Ouch!!!
Jeremy
Aug 25, 2010 @ 23:31:54
“The greyish green leaves are sharp and fury”… why?
Lois
Aug 26, 2010 @ 22:31:41
Sorry for the wrong spelling, it should have been furry. Now probably you understand what I mean….
The more likely reasons why some plants are sharp and furry are for adaptation, defense and survival. The furs/hairs protect the plant from extreme heat and cold. Sharpness like for example thorns is important for plant’s survival, as less animals will eat them.
The clear examples are cactus/cacti and succulents that grow in an area that is very dry (sandy desert). Many of these plants are furry and sharp!
Oh yes, one more fact……. plants that have grey leaves survive better in extreme heat. Why? Because most of these greyish leaves are covered by smooth white furs to reflect the heat of the sun and at the same time the furs also trap moisture from air to keep the plant cool.
Sabina burrascano plant strategies « plantsdontlie.com
Mar 02, 2011 @ 22:30:58
Sabina
Mar 02, 2011 @ 22:33:34
Hi, I was making a post on Spinifex grass and I run in your interesting one. I linked it in my post, it would be nice if you could do the same. Thanks.
Lois
Mar 03, 2011 @ 02:33:01
Thank you, Sabina. I just read your blog about Spinifex littoreus and I love your analogy between Spinifex and Sea urchins. Interesting!
serrure Abloy
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Lois
Jun 11, 2013 @ 13:44:29
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