Triodia inutilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 40–60 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths without keel; indistinctly veined, or striately veined. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 10–15 cm long; 2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–15 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; obtuse; 7–9 mm long; 3.5–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins in close groups (of 3). Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.5 of lemma length; acuminate. Palea elliptic; 4–4.5 mm long. Palea keels winged; conspicuously 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.