Triodia melvillei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths coriaceous; yellow; villous. Culms erect; 50–80 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths resinous; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches capillary; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 6–11 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 6–11 mm long; 2–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 7–9 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; shorter than principal. Palea 4.5–5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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