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 molesta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 60–80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths without keel; pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; stiff; glaucous. 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; linear; 10–30 cm long; evenly furnished, or contracted about primary branches. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 10–14 mm long; 3–4.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4.5–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4.5–6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 5.5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins in close groups (of 3). Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.2 of lemma length; acute. Palea elliptic; 4 mm long. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. Palea apex pubescent. 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.