Austrostipa drummondii (Steud.)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 585 (1996).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa
drummondii Steud., Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 128 (1854).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Drummond IV 378 [as 578]see Vickery et al., Telopea
3: 47 (1986) for discussion about the type collection micitation.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (567as Stipa
drummondii), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(176 as Stipa Drummondii), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora
of Central Australia (438 as Stipa), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon,
AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (72), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (153),
[2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(45).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (73, Fig. 34), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(153), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2
(44, Fig 6).
Derivation: in
honor of James Drummond (c. 1784–1863) Scots-born Australian botanist.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 30–100 cm tall, compressible. Lateral branches simple.
Leaf-sheaths smooth or scaberulous or antrorsely scabrous, hairy. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 1.5–4 mm long, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat or
involute, 1–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle. Panicle linear, 15–30 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 9 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
much thinner above, without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 6–11 mm
long, membranous, without keels, 5 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 5 mm long, without keel. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex
lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 40–90 mm long overall, with a
twisted column. Column 11–21 mm long. Palea without keels. Grain 3–5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria.
Western Australia:
Eucla, Irwin, Dale, Eyre, Roe, Avon, Coolgardie. South Australia:
Nullabor, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray,
Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, South-eastern. New South Wales:
Central-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far
Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Victoria: Lowan Mallee,
Midlands, Murray Mallee, Riverina, Wimmera.
Notes. Sandy areas of the
western plains of New South Wales and Victoria, extending across South
Australia into the southern regions of Western Australia.
