# Spinifex

**Family:** Poaceae

_**Spinifex**_ is a genus of perennial coastal plants in the [grass family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae).[
[2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinifex_(plant)#cite_note-2)][3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinifex_(plant)#cite_note-3)[4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinifex_(plant)#cite_note-4)[5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinifex_(plant)#cite_note-5)

They are one of the most common plants that grow in [sand dunes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_dunes) along the coasts of [Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa), [Middle East](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East), [Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia), [Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia), [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand) and [New Caledonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Caledonia), with the ranges of some species extending north and west along the coasts of [Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia) as far as [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India) and [Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan). As they help stabilise the sand, these grasses are an important part of the entire sand dune ecosystem. The single species indigenous to [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand), _Spinifex sericeus_, is also found in [Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia).

Confusingly, the word “spinifex” is also used as a common name referring to grasses in the related genus _[Triodia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triodia_(plant_genus))_. _Triodia_ however is native to inland [Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia) and refers to a group of spiny-leaved, [tussock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tussock_grass)-forming grasses.

[**Source:** Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinifex_(plant))