Triodia cunninghamii Benth. Fl. Austral. 7: 606 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: A. Cunningham 510, Sep 1819, Western Australia:
East Gardner Region; Cambridge Gulf, North West coast (K (5 sheets, one label
different)). LT designated by Lazarides, Aust. Syst. Bot. 10(3): 426 (1997).
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (606),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (73),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (71,
Pl. 21).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons absent or present. Culms 100–130 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of
hairs. Leaf-blades curved or flexuous, aciculate, flat or conduplicate, 60 cm
long, 2.5 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Panicle 15–43 cm long, 1.5–3 cm
wide, contracted about primary branches.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–6), comprising 5–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 5–6 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, scarious,
without keels, 3–5 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume elliptic,
4–5.5 mm long, scarious, without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous,
glabrous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–5.2 mm long, without keel or keeled, 9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex lobed, muticous. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia.
Western Australia:
Gardner.
Notes.
Known from only 2 collections.
Distinguished by its resinous leaves; usually
flat long blades; large racemose panicle; small tightly few-flowered spikelet
with hairy rachilla; firm mucronulate glumes almost as long as the spikelet; hirsute,
widely spaced 9-nerved lemma with 3 bristle-like lobes, long relative to the
lemma; mostly glabrous palea with ciliate, wingless keels and scaberulous
flaps.
Known
only from the Cambridge Gulf, W.A. Near seasonal creek in small valley of low
sandstone hills near tidal flats of estuary; flowers Mar. and Sept.
