GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Triodia schinzii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 120–150 cm long; 2–6 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths resinous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 10–25 cm long; 2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10–15 cm long; 2.5–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 2–6.5 cm long; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; terete; 2 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; 4–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; shiny; gaping. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–20 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled all along, or above; 7–11 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–20 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled all along, or above; 7–11 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–8.5 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown and yellow; tipped with last colour; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with linear lobes; with lobes 2 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn flat below; 20–25 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 12–20 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea lanceolate, or oblong; 3 mm long; membranous; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.

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