Triodia fitzgeraldii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; puberulous; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; stiff. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; 3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous, or scarious; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or scarious; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; scarious; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length. Palea 2 mm long. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. 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.