Spinifex (coastal grass) explained

Spinifex is a genus of perennial coastal plants in the grass family.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

They are one of the most common plants that grow in sand dunes along the coasts of Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, with the ranges of some species extending north and west along the coasts of Asia as far as India and Japan.^[5] As they help stabilise the sand, these grasses are an important part of the entire sand dune ecosystem. The single species indigenous to New Zealand, Spinifex sericeus,^[6] is also found in Australia.^[7]

Confusingly, the word "spinifex" is also used as a common name referring to grasses in the related genus Triodia. Triodia however is native to inland Australia and refers to a group of spiny-leaved, tussock-forming grasses.

Species

Species include:^[8]

• Spinifex × alterniflorus Nees – Western Australia
• Spinifex hirsutus Labill. – all 6 states of Australia
• Spinifex littoreus (Burm.f.) Merr. – Ashmore Reef in Western Australia; New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indochina, Indian subcontinent, China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan), Taiwan, Japan including Ryukyu Islands
• Spinifex longifolius R.Br. – Thailand, Indonesia, New Guinea, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia
• Spinifex sericeus R.Br. – all 6 states of Australia plus Norfolk Island, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tonga

Formerly included

Species formerly included:

• Spinifex paradoxus (now Zygochloa paradoxa)

Notes and References

1. Linnaeus, Carl von. 1771. Mantissa Plantarum 163, 300
2. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40003634 Tropicos, Spinifex L.
3. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=131011 Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 553 鬣刺属 lie ci shu Spinifex Linnaeus, Mant. Pl. 2: 163, 300. 1771.
4. Web site: Atlas of Living Australia Spinifex L. . 23 February 2015 . 14 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160514045427/http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:apni.taxon:414869 . dead .
5. Web site: Sand spinifex grass (Spinifex sericeus). Descriptions of Major Dune Plants. Beach Protection Authority, Queensland. 23 January 2010.
6. Encyclopedia: Mark, Alan F.. Grasslands - Spinifex. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1 March 2009. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 31 January 2010.
7. Book: Webb, C.J. . Sykes, W.R. . Garnock-Jones, P.J. . Flora of New Zealand Volume IV. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 1988.
8. http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Spinifex The Plant List search for Spinifex