Imperata cylindrica

Imperata cylindrica is a tall perennial grass, growing up to 1.20 m tall. 
Its flowers grow in long hairy white panicles.
It is a coastal species, found in sandy beaches.

The culms of Imperata cylindrica are erect, up to 50 cm long and 1 mm wide. 
The internodes are glabrous but the nodes are usually pilose and bearded. 
The culms bases and rhizomes are deeply buried.

The leaves of Imperata cylindrica are 6 to 70 cm long and up to 2.5 mm wide. 
The upper blades are reduced, usually flat, sometimes incurved and often strongly narrowed at the base. 
They are glabrous to pubescent, especially upwards, becoming fibrous in age. 
The leaf margins are glabrous to densely ciliate upwards. 
The ligule is up to 2.2 mm long, glabrous or minutely ciliate with hairs. 

The inflorescence of Imperata cylindrica are growing in panicle which are 3 to 24 cm long. 
The flowers are silver-white in colour. 
The peduncles are glabrous. 
The rhachis is glabrous downwards and pilose upwards. 
The inflorescence branches are pilose. 
The spikelets are oblong-lanceolate in shape. 
They are surrounded and covered by long silky white hairs which are up to 1.5 cm long. 
The glumes are similar, membranous, and silky pubescent. 
The stigma is purple in colour.

The fruit of Imperata cylindrica is a subbasal caryopsis. 
The hilum is elliptic.

The fruit of Imperata cylindrica is a subbasal caryopsis. 
The hilum is elliptic.