Australopyrum velutinum (Nees) B.K.Simon. Austrobaileya
2: 241 (1986).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Triticeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Agropyron
velutinum Nees Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 2: 417 (1843).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: In Chilton, Surrey Hills, Insulae Van
Diemen, Februario 1837, Gunn 770.
Recent synonyms:
Australopyrum retrofractum subsp. velutinum (Nees) A.Löve, Agropyron
velutinum Vickery.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (665 as Agropyron
velutinum), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (138), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (110).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (138), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (109, Fig.16).
Derivation: L.
velvety. Plant in whole or in part covered with dense short hairs.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 7–68 cm tall. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles
present. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.1–0.5 mm long, hyaline or membranous,
truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat or involute or convolute, 3.8–5.3(–15) cm
long, 1.75–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a raceme. Racemes 1, oblong, 2.5–3 cm long, bearing 5–10
fertile spikelets on each.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (6–10), comprising 6–10 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 10–11 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume elliptic or ovate,
chartaceous or cartilaginous or coriaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, 5–7 -nerved.
Lower glume apex muticous or awned. Upper glume ovate, 5–6 mm long, coriaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 9 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 5–7 mm long, without keel or keeled, 5–9 -nerved. Lemma apex
muticous or awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 1–2 mm long overall.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
New South Wales:
North-Western Slopes. Victoria: Snowfields. Tasmania: Central
Highlands.
Notes.
Some individuals from the Victorian Alps are more heavily indumented than those
from the N.S.W. Alps.
Endemic. Locally common
in tall alpine herbfield and sod tussock grassland. Flowers Jan.-March.
