Triodia salina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Stolons present. Culms 115–160 cm long. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking to ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Collar glabrous, or ciliate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 9–27 cm long; 0.8–1.2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface grooved on either side of midline; grooved abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; dense, or loose; 17–40 cm long; 1–2.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 5–11 cm long. Panicle axis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed, or subterete; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.3–1.8 mm long; scaberulous. Floret callus 0.5 mm long; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–17 mm long; scarious; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 1–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; indurate; of similar consistency above; much thinner on margins; yellow; without keel. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or curved; 5–10 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 5–10 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea oblanceolate; 4 mm long; indurate; thinner above. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; scaberulous. Palea surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy at base. Palea apex emarginate, or obtuse; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; 2 mm long; red; obtuse. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1996.

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