Triodia longiceps

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 100–250 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent; 0.5–1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 24–30 cm long; evenly furnished, or contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches simple.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–21 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 8–20 mm long; 2–3 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 ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma margins eciliate, or pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; incised 0.05 of lemma length; obtuse, or acute. 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.