Deyeuxia contracta

Deyeuxia contracta (F. Muell. ex Hook. f.) Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 1: 65 (1940).

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

Key references (books and floras): [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 (201), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (206).

Illustrations: [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (201), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (205, Fig.28).

Habit. Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 30–110 cm tall, 4 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or branched. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 2–3 mm long, membranous, obtuse. Leaf-blades linear, flat or conduplicate, 4–17(–23) cm long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear or lanceolate or oblong or ovate, 7–20(–40) cm long.

Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with a barren rachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 2.5–3 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes similar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, much thinner on margins, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.

Florets. Fertile lemma 2.5–3 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn subapical, 0.5–1 mm long overall. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.

Continental Distribution: Australasia.

Australian Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.

New South Wales: Southern Tablelands. Victoria: East Gippsland. Tasmania: North West, West Coast, East Coast, South West.

Notes. Very close to D. scaberula.

Endemic. S from the Budawang Ra. Under light eucalypt cover and on the margins of wet sclerophyll. Flowers Dec.-Mar.

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