Rytidosperma australe (Petrie) H.E. Connor
& E. Edgar. New Zealand J. Bot. 25: 166 (1987).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Danthonioideae. Tribe
Danthonieae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Triodia
australis Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 22: 442
(1890).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: D. Petrie s.n., New Zealand: Mount Ida
Range, Maniototo Co., ca. 3500 ft (WELT-40330).
Recent synonyms:
Erythranthera australis.
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 (265 as Erythranthera).
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
12, K-L), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of
New South Wales, 4th edn (265 as Erythranthera).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, 10–45 cm tall. Ligule a
fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute or convolute, 5–15 cm long, 0.5–1 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 2–5 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–6), comprising 3–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 2.7–4 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 5–7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 2.4–3.3 mm long,
membranous, without keels, 5–7 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.6–2.5 mm long, without keel, 7 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous.
Lemma apex dentate, muticous or mucronate or awned. Median (principal) awn from
a sinus, 0.4–0.6 mm long overall, without a column or with a straight or
slightly twisted column. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 0.7–1 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
New South Wales:
Southern Tablelands. Victoria: Snowfields. Tasmania: Central
Highlands, Mt Field.
Notes.
On Mt Kosciosko and in Tasmania, also in New Zealand, altitude 1100–2000 m,
feldmark and in alpine herbfields on deeper soils, or flat peaty soils, often
in hollows where the snow persists. Flowers Jan.
