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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Triodia acutispicula
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–70 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; without exudate, or resinous; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; erect; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–2.3 mm long. Collar ciliate. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; 20–40 cm long; 0.7–1 mm wide; without exudate, or resinous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; lanceolate; dense, or loose; 12–25 cm long; 1.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 3–7 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.5–12 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes terete; 2.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1–2 mm long; pilose; pungent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–18 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–18 mm long; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–3 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–9 mm long; coriaceous; firmer above (a transverse line); without keel, or keeled; 9 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 9–12 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 5–7 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 5–5.5 mm long; cartilaginous; thinner above. Palea keels ciliate; adorned all along, or above. Palea surface smooth, or scaberulous (on margins). Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5–1 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2.5–3.8 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1996.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Transverse line 2–4mm below lemma sinus.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
