Triodia mitchellii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 50–100 cm long. Leaves cauline; distichous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; resinous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; conduplicate, or involute; 30 cm long; 2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic, or ovate; dense, or loose; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Upper glume elliptic; 5–8 mm long; 1.2–1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3–13 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates; absent or obscure below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Tothill 1993.

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