Austrostipa pubescens

Austrostipa pubescens (R.Br.)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 588 (1996).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Stipa pubescens
R.Br., Prodr. 174 (1810).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: LT: R. Brown 6203 (sheet II), 1802–1805,
Australia: New South Wales: Port Jackson (BM; IT: K). LT designated by Vickery,
Jacobs & Everett, Telopea 3: 97 (1986).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (174 as Stipa),
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (569 as Stipa pubescens),
[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
(157), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(41).

Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
, 4th edn (157), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (48 & 55, Fig 7 & 8).

Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Culms erect, 80–150 cm tall, 1–4 mm diam.,
firm, 2–3 -noded. Mid-culm internodes pubescent. Mid-culm nodes pubescent.
Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule an
eciliate membrane or a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.4–1(–1.5) mm
long, scarious, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat or involute or convolute,
25–50 cm long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle. Panicle linear, 15–30 cm long,
2–4 cm wide.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, linear, terete, 17–24 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume linear, 15–20 mm
long, membranous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 11–15 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex entire, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 60–100 mm long
overall, with a twisted column. Column 30–70 mm long. Palea 2 -nerved, without
keels. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 5–8 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Queensland, New South Wales.

Queensland:
Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Moreton, South Kennedy. New South Wales:
North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central
Tablelands, Southern Tablelands.

Notes. The palea is
distinctly shorter than the lemma, whereas in A. pubinodis the palea is
more or less equal to the lemma.

Sandstone areas of south-eastern
Queensland and eastern New South Wales.

AVH 2011

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith