Triodia bynoei (C.E.
Hubb.) M. Lazarides. Austral.
Syst. Bot. 10:
422–423 (1997).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Plectrachne
bynoei C.E. Hubb., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1941: 30 (1941).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Bynoe s.n., Australia: Western
Australia: Northern Province: (K(fragm. PERTH)). North-west coast.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (83 as Plectrachne), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
37F-H).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 30–165 cm tall, 3–4 -noded.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled or
flexuous, conduplicate, 30–45 cm long. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle 30–57.5 cm long, 4–5 cm wide.
Racemes numerous, 5–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 30–50 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–4), comprising 2–4 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, elliptic, laterally compressed, 4–8(–10) mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, without keels, 1–3 -nerved. Lower
glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, 3.3–7 mm long,
membranous, without keels, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume apex entire or dentate or
lobed, muticous or mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.6–2.3(–5) mm long, without keel or keeled, 3–5 -nerved. Lemma
surface indumented. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned or 3 -awned. Median
(principal) awn 3.5–6 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns absent or present.
Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex dentate. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory.
Western Australia:
Gardner. Fortescue. Northern Territory: Victoria River.
Notes.
Distinguished by the large racemose panicle, relatively small spikelets and
unequally awned lemmas.
Mainland
and coastal islands of NW W.A. (N of 23°S), and N of 16°S in the N.T. Commonly
in sandy, shallow or skeletal soils on sandstone ranges, plateaux and scree
slopes, often in fissures, pockets and among boulders; also on hillslopes of
quartzite, shales and laterite, and in seasonally wet sites; flowers mainly
Jan.-May (summer and autumn), persisting until September; fruits mainly
Jan.-May (summer and autumn), persisting until September.
