Aristida vagans Cav. Icon. Desc. Pl. 5: 45
(1799).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Anon. s.n., Australia: New South Wales:
Central Coast, Port Jackson (MA (photo, BRI)).
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (173), [1878]
G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (562), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (132).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(104(19)), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (59), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (132).
Derivation: L.
vago, wander. Culms much branched.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 38–85 cm tall, 2–3 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched or branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous
on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, flat
or conduplicate or involute or convolute, 5–12 cm long, 1–1.5 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 6–11.5 cm long, 3–4 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 8.5–12 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex mucronate. Upper glume
lanceolate, 3.5–7 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
apex entire or erose.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 8.5–12 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 6–9 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Burnett, Darling Downs, Moreton, Wide Bay, Port Curtis. New South Wales:
North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central
Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains.
Notes.
A. vagans is similar to A. caput-medusae in having small
spikelets in which the lemma extends beyond the glumes, but it differs from
this species by the inflorescence being larger and irregular in outline.
South-east
coastal Australia from south-eastern Queensland to the Victorian border; two
records from outside this range. Eucalyptus communities on rocky and
sandy soils. Flowering and fruiting all year.
