Triodia bunglensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths coriaceous; distinctly ribbed. Culms 150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking to pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 3 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades straight, or curved, or flexuous; filiform; conduplicate; 12–30 cm long; 0.8 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous. Leaf-blade surface grooved on either side of midline; grooved abaxially; scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 9.5–20 cm long; 1.5–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches simple, or sparsely divided; 3–5.5 cm long. Panicle axis angular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes flattened; 1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous, or scarious; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 10–20 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0.8–7.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea linear, or oblanceolate; 3 mm long; membranous, or scarious; of uniform consistency. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface puberulous; hairy below. Palea apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform, or ellipsoid; 1.6–2 mm long; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1996.

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