Rostraria cristata* (L.) Tsvelev. Novosti
Sist.Vyssh.Rast. 7: 47 (1971).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Festuca
cristata L., Sp. Pl. 1: 76 (1753).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Portugal (LINN-92.94). LT designated by Sherif
& Siddiq, Fl. Libya 145: 167 (1988).
Recent synonyms:
Lophochloa cristata, L. phleoides.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (639 as Koeleria
phleoides), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(60 as Koeleria phleoides), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (250), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (360), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora
of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (159).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (250, fig. 193), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev.
S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (179), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley
& D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (360), [2009].
A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (155, Fig.23).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or decumbent, 5–45 cm tall. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate
membrane, 1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, 2.5–15 cm long, 1.5–8 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear or lanceolate, 1.5–10 cm long,
0.6–1.6 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered (3–8), comprising 3–8
fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, oblong, laterally
compressed, 3–7 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture, shiny. Lower glume
lanceolate, membranous, without keels, 1 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous
or indumented. Upper glume elliptic, 3–4 mm long, membranous, without keels, 3
-nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous or indumented.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 3–4 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous or
indumented. Lemma apex mucronate or awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn
apical or subapical, 0–3 mm long overall. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South
Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Norfolk I, Lord Howe.
Western Australia:
Carnarvon, Austin. Eucla, Drummond, Dale, Avon, Coolgardie. South Australia:
Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula,
Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Queensland: Darling
Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: Central Coast, Northern Tablelands,
Southern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes,
South-Western Slopes, South-Western Plains. Victoria: East Gippsland,
Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Murray Mallee, Otway Range,
Wilsons Promontory, Riverina, Wimmera. Tasmania: Furneaux Group, East
Coast.
Notes. Corresponds to all
material under Koeleria phleoides in CANB. Taxon with confused history,
see notes by Watson in Grass database.
Introduced. Also on Lord Howe Is.
Native to SW Europe, but widely naturalized elsewhere. Widespread in disturbed
habitats, usually dry, open scrub. Flowers Oct.-Jan.
