Triodia plectrachnoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 200–300 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; stiff. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15–20 cm long. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 10–25 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Lower glume awn 0.1 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Upper glume awn 0.1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; incised 0.2 of lemma length; acute. Palea 2 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Burbidge 1993.

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