Triraphis mollis R. Br. Prodr.
185 (1810).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: Littora Novae Hollandiae intra tropicum.
HT: R. Br. 6248, (K).
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (185), [1878]
G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (603), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of
Western Australia 1 Gramineae (85), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop
(ed)., Flora of Central Australia (443), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon,
AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (405), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (389).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (84,
Pl. 23), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (265), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of
Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 76A-C), [2006] J.Jessop,
G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (406, Fig. 406), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(389).
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Culms erect, stature slender to delicate, 10–70(–120) cm tall,
2–3(–4) -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly
basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.6–1 mm
long. Leaf-blades linear, flat or convolute, 5–50 cm long, 1–4 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid or compound, a panicle, a panicle of racemes. Panicle
linear, 3–25 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (8–10), comprising 8–10 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, linear or oblong or obovate, laterally compressed, 4.5–10 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume linear or
lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume linear or
lanceolate, 3.6–4.8(–6) mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume apex dentate, awned.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4–6 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 3
-awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 7–9 mm long overall. Lateral lemma
awns present. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 2–2.5 mm
long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland,
New South Wales, Victoria.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Dampier. Keartland, Carnegie, Giles, Fortescue, Ashburton, Carnarvon,
Austin. Northern Territory: Central Australia North, Central Australia
South. South Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Nullabor,
Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern
Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty. Queensland: Burke,
Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Gregory North, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Mitchell, Moreton,
Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Gregory South. New South Wales:
Central Coast, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, North-Western
Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains, South Far Western
Plains. Victoria: Murray Mallee.
Notes.
Grazed, but generally not well regarded as a forage grass as it contains HCN,
but stock poisoning is rarely a problem as the species is usually scattered in
pastures dominated by other grasses.
A tufted habit is most common, but tussocky
specimens also have been collected, possibly from deeper soils or more fertile
sites, or there may be annual and perennial forms of the species. The feathery
purple heads are distinctive.
Widespread
across inland Australia in all mainland states, and within 150 km of the coast
in Qld and S.A.; also in Papua New Guinea. Recorded from sandy islands,
subcoastal sandhills, but mostly inland in arid and semi-arid areas on better
watered sites such as creek floodouts, swales and lower dune slopes, usually in
clayey sand in association with open woodland or Acacia shrubland, but
also on finer textured red earths; flowers June-Aug. in tropical Australia, or
growing and flowering after rain in the warmer months elsewhere.
