Triodia hubbardii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 60–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths resinous; medianly thickened. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 15–45 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff; resinous. Leaf-blade venation with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 30–60 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 8–14 mm long; 3–4.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.75–1 mm long. Floret callus evident; curved; 0.5 mm long; pilose; hairy on the margins; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex obtuse; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex with a unilateral tooth, or dentate; 1 -fid, or 3 -fid; acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins in close groups (of 3). Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with simple equal lobes, or with outer lobes shorter; incised 0.25 of lemma length; acuminate. Palea embraced by lemma, or reflexed at apex; elliptic; 4 mm long; cartilaginous; thinner above. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3; 2.75 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Burbidge 1993.

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