Triodia danthonioides (F. Muell.) M. Lazarides. Austral. Syst. Bot. 10: 427–428 (1997).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Triraphis
danthonioides F. Muell., Fragm. 8: 125 (1873).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Western Australia: South-West Province; Swan River,
J. Drummond 345 (HT: MEL, 3 sheets; IT: K, Perth(photo)).
Recent synonyms:
Plectrachne danthonioides.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (604 as Triraphis),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (81 as
Plectrachne), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
38L-N).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 60–200 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes woolly. Lateral
branches simple. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a
fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades recurved, curved or flexuous, aciculate,
conduplicate, 25–60 cm long, 1.3–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, 15–60 cm long, 3–11 cm wide.
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, elliptic, laterally compressed, 9–20 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous or scarious, without keels,
3(–5) -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex muticous or
mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, 10–18.5 mm long, membranous or scarious,
without keels, 3(–5) -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex
entire or with a unilateral tooth or lobed, muticous or mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 8–9 mm long, without keel, 3–15 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 3 -awned. Median (principal) awn 15 mm
long overall. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia.
Western Australia:
Carnarvon. Irwin, Drummond, Avon.
Notes.
Diagnostic characters include the retrorsely scabrous palea keels; lemmas with
usually 5 linear series of hairs; robust habit with extremely long panicle and
blades; dense woolly indumentum on culms and foliage; hairy, usually bifid
palea.
Northern
South-West Province and adjacent areas in the Eremaean Province, W.A. In red,
yellow or brown, often deep sands and sandy loams on plains and dunes, with
heath and shrublands; also an lunette around salt lake; flowers July-Nov.
(winter and spring).
