Hoop Mitchell grass (Astrebla elymoides) in the Western Australian rangelands

Page last updated: Wednesday, 7 July 2021 - 12:01pm

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

Hoop Mitchell grass or weeping Mitchell grass (Astrebla elymoides) is one of many plant species found in the Western Australian rangelands.

This page provides a summary of the plant's value for pastoralism. Pastoral lessees and station managers can use this information to assess pasture condition and trend.

Indicator value

Hoop Mitchell grass is an indicator of good pasture condition where dominant. It is a desirable species and tends to be a decreaser under heavy grazing pressure.

Forage value

Hoop Mitchell grass is moderately palatable to livestock and is said to have good fattening qualities. It can withstand waterlogging better than barley Mitchell grass.

Habitat

Black soil group (PDF 5.7MB).

General description

Hoop Mitchell grass is an erect perennial grass that can grow to 45–80cm tall, forming slender, leafy tussocks with a thickened hairless butt. The flowering stems are much longer than the leaves and characteristically droop towards the ground. The leaves are long and flat and tend to become rolled and narrow with age. The seed heads occur in long, narrow spikes 12–38cm long. Each seed is tightly held to the seed head.