Aristida pruinosa Domin. Biblioth.
Bot. 85: 345 (1915). Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: NT: M. Lazarides 4369, 15 Mar 1954, Australia: Queensland:
Burke Dist.: Mt. Isa
(BRI; INT: AD, CANB, MEL, NSW, NT,
PERTH). NT
designated by Simon, Austr. Syst. Bot. 5: 169 (1992).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia 1 Gramineae (168), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia
1 Gramineae (167, Pl. 49), [1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses
of Southern Queensland (106(34)).
Derivation: L.
bluish-green. Leaf-blades are covered with short white hairs.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 60–153 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths smooth,
glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades
straight or flexuous, flat or conduplicate or involute or convolute, 20–40 cm
long, 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, loose, 15–37 cm long,
2–4 cm wide.
Spikelets. Spikelets
pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s),
without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 10–25 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1(–3) -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume
lanceolate, 7.6–15 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex muticous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 5.4–13.5 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 5–8.3 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia: Gardner,
Fitzgerald, Dampier. Fortescue, Ashburton. Northern
Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland, Central
Australia North. Queensland:
Burke, Cook, Mitchell, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Gregory North.
Notes.
A. pruinosa differs from A. inaequiglumis by its more robust and
pruinose habit, the absence of leaf blades which curl up at maturity and the
absence of a lemma pseudoarticulation, although there may be a change in colour
at the junction of the lemma apex and awns. With regards to its pruinose culms,
tuberculate lemma furrows and robust stature it resembles A. calycina
var. praealta and A. biglandulosa but these species differ in
having subequal glumes.
Northern Australia
from the Kimberley to central Queensland. Eucalyptus, Melaleuca
and Triodia communities on redearths, sands and alluvial soils.
Flowering and fruiting all year.
