Triodia longiloba

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths resinous; scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 5–10 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 1 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades curved, or curled, or flexuous; 21–45 cm long; 0.8–1.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 20–50 cm long; 15–25 mm wide; with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Rhachis smooth on margins, or scaberulous on margins.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–5(–15) mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–13 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; (10–)14–18 mm long; 3.5–5(–12) mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Rhachilla elongation 0.3–0.7 mm long. Rhachilla internodes 0.7 mm long. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5(–9) -veined. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 5–6 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5(–9) -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; truncate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–8.5 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; viscid; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins in close groups. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; pilose; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; with triangular lobes; with lobes 2.5–5.5 mm long; acuminate. Palea lanceolate, or oblong; 4–5 mm long; cartilaginous. Palea keels winged; scaberulous; adorned above; with 0.5 of their length adorned. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.5–1 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1996.

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