Aristida schultzii Mez. Repert.
Spec .Nov. Regni Veg. 17:149(1921).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: F. Schultz 765, Jun 1870, Australia:
Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf Dist.: Port Darwin (B; IT: BRI, FI, K,
LE, US-81260 (fragm. ex B)).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Derivation: in
honor of Frederick Schultze (fl. 1869) who collected in northern Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 35–65 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral branches
fastigiate. Leaf-sheaths smooth or scaberulous, glabrous on surface. Ligule a
fringe of hairs, 0.4–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous, flat or conduplicate or
involute or convolute, 10–25 cm long, 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, 22 cm long, 2–9 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 11–21 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 3–7 -nerved. Lower glume apex awned. Upper glume lanceolate,
7.5–21 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume apex
entire or erose, awned.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 10–12 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 3
-awned. Median (principal) awn 25–37 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column
5–7 mm long. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea without keels. Anthers 3. Grain
7–8 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook, Leichhardt, North Kennedy.
Notes.
A. schultzii is similar to A. warburgii in having a 3–7-nerved
lower glume but differs from this species in that the median awn is not thicker
than the laterals.
Mainly northern N.T.
and Queensland. Eucalyptus and Melaleuca communities. Flowering
and fruiting January to February, April to September.
