Triodia brizoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 50–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or elliptic; effuse; 8–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 10–20 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 6–8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 6–6.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.9–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 6–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins in close groups (of 3). Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; incised 0.15 of lemma length; acute, or acuminate. Palea linear, or elliptic. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Burbidge 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.