Poaceae

Barbwire grass

Cymbopogon refractus (R.Br.) A.Camus

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Cymbopogon

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Common names

By language (1)

English: Barbwire grass

Synonyms

Anatherum refractum (R.Br.) P.Beauv.
Andropogon refractus R.Br.
Andropogon refractus var. luxurians Domin
Andropogon tahitensis Hook. & Arn.
Cymbopogon nardus var. refractus (R.Br.) Roberty
Sorghum refractum (R.Br.) Kuntze

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: introduced, Pacific Basin: introduced

Photos

$Barbwire grass: Cymbopogon refractus (habit). Location: Maui, Haleakala Ranch$
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
$Barbwire grass: Cymbopogon refractus (Barb-wire Grass) near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 8 February 2009.$
Photo: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
$Barbwire grass: Cymbopogon refractus (Barb-wire Grass) near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 8 February 2009.$
Photo: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
$Barbwire grass (Cymbopogon refractus)$
Photo: P. J. de Lange, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Cymbopogon

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.