"Perennial. Rhizomes present. Stolons absent. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 2–100 cm tall,..." (Simon, B.K. & Alfonso, Y. 2011)

Panicum effusum var. effusum is found as a minor component of nearly every grass stand we harvest. It very occasionally builds up into a state approaching dominance. Typically, these paddocks were previously eucalypt woodlands or forest on moderately fertile soils, however we also observe the taxon on poorer soils.

Low availability to date has kept P. effusum var. effusum from becoming well known in land rehabilitation practice. However, its distribution and soil preferences infer broad suitability for rehabilitation.

A recent (2022) harvesting attempt was again instructive for this grass taxon. Three harvesting sessions were completed on dense bodies of native grasses with considerable P. effusum content. The areas were snaggy (dead timber) and isolated, as locations with high content natural grasses tend to be. For two machines with hard 1.5m brushes, just 1.7kg of pure seed per hour of operation resulted. Meaningful amounts of associated grasses such as Aristida spp., Eragrostis spp., Bothriochloa decipiens, Arundinella nepalensis etc may result from these harvests, however the seperation process is very time consuming.

Importantly, P. effusum product is pure kernel (caryopsis) and has higher planting value than floret products which account for most native grass seed products in rehabilitation work. This product disparity often leads to projects attempting to sow at rates comparable with floret products and these may be too high, constituting a waste of seed and capital. Pelleting products like these may be practical because purchasers generally undersow pelleted seed products on a seed units per gram of product basis. Pelleting as a percentage of total cost is relatively inexpensive for high value products. A custom fertiliser package can be incorporated for increasing establishment rates.

Simon, B.K. & Alfonso, Y. 2011. Ausgrass2, http://ausgrass.myspecies.info/ [Accessed on Dec 4, 2019]

http://ausgrass2.myspecies.info/content/panicum-effusum