Elionurus muticus (Spreng.) Kuntze

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Cleveland Dam, Harare

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Synonyms:	Andropogon caespitosus A. Rich. Andropogon thimiodorus (Nees) Steud. Elionurus argenteus var. caespitosus (A. Rich.) Hack. Elionurus argenteus var. thimiodorus (Nees) Stapf Elionurus argenteus Nees Elionurus brazzae sensu Simon, non Franch. Elionurus chevalieri Stapf Elionurus glaber E.P. Phillips Elionurus glaber var. villosus E.P. Phillips Elionurus gobariensis Vanderyst Elionurus pretoriensis E.P. Phillips Elionurus thimiodorus Nees Lycurus muticus Spreng.
Common names:	Wire grass (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Densely tufted perennial grass. The filiform leaves are mostly basal, slightly aromatic when crushed. The mature inflorescences typically curl back in a sickle shape, showing spreading spikelets, covered in long, silvery hairs. These are strongly lemon-scented when crushed.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	muticus: blunt, without a point or awn
Habitat:	On sandy or rocky soil in grassland and open woodland.
Altitude range:	1000 - 2180 m
Flowering time:	Sep - May
Worldwide distribution:	Throughout tropical Africa, South Africa and Yemen; also in tropical and subtropical America.
Mozambique distribution:	Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 345. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 24. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Pages 156 - 158. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 38. As Elionurus argenteus Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 103. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 92 - 93. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 135. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 28. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 85.

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Flora of Botswana: Elionurus muticus
Flora of Burundi: Elionurus muticus
Flora of Malawi: Elionurus muticus
Flora of Zambia: Elionurus muticus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Elionurus muticus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Elionurus muticus
African Plant Database: Elionurus muticus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Elionurus muticus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Elionurus muticus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Elionurus muticus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Elionurus muticus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Elionurus muticus
JSTOR Plant Science: Elionurus muticus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Elionurus muticus
Plants of the World Online: Elionurus muticus
Tropicos: Elionurus muticus
Wikipedia: Elionurus muticus