Triodia lanigera

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

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; 6–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 4–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 14–18 mm long; 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; 8–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 8–12 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 9–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9–15 -veined. Lemma lateral veins evenly spaced. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.75 of lemma length; acuminate. Palea oblong, or obovate; 3–4 mm long; thinner above. Palea keels ciliate. 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.