Aristida
personata Henrard. Meded.
Rijks. Herb. Leiden 58A: 290 (1932). Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: C.T. White 3396, 25 Feb 1927, Australia:
Queensland: Port Curtis Dist.: inter Rockhampton et Westwood (L-928.18–7
(photo, BRI); IT: BRI, K). LT designated by Henrard, Meded. Rijks-Herb.
54(C): 732 (1933).
Recent synonyms:
Aristida ramosa R.Br. var. speciosa Henrard.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (328), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (131).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(106(2, 28)), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (328, Fig. 261), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (131).
Derivation: L. masked,
that is, resembling something else. Readily confused with another species.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms stature robust to moderate, 60–120 cm tall. Mid-culm
internodes glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate. Ligule a fringe of hairs,
0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, flat or conduplicate or involute or
convolute, 8–16 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, 10–30 cm long, 1–2 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 9.5–11.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 6–11.5 mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 9.5–10.5 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 3
-awned. Median (principal) awn without a column. Lateral lemma awns present.
Palea without keels. Anthers 3. Grain 6–8.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales.
South Australia:
Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray. Queensland:
Burke, Burnett, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Mitchell, Moreton, North
Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Wide Bay, Warrego. New South Wales:
Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western
Slopes, South-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains.
Notes.
A. personata differs from A. ramosa by the inflorescence being a
loose to open panicle. It was formerly recognised as a variety of A. ramosa
(see comments under that species).
Eastern Australia from
central Queensland to Adelaide. Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla), Eucalyptus,
Casuarina communities on sandy and alluvial soils, loams and clays.
Flowering and fruiting all year.
