Aristida warburgii Mez. Repert.
Spec. Nov. Regni Veg.17: 149 (1921).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: E.F. Warburg 19535, no date, Australia:
Queensland: Wide Bay Dist.: near Maryborough (B; IT: BRI (fragm. & photo ex
B), US-2489454 (fragm. e xB)). Collection no. is annotated on sheet, but not
cited in publication.
Recent synonyms:
Aristida heterochaeta Henrard, Aristida intricata S.T.Blake.
Key references
(books and floras): [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 (133).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(104(10)), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, 4th edn (133).
Derivation: in
honor of Otto Warburg (1859–1938) German botanist.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 30–90 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral branches
simple or sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe
of hairs, 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, filiform, conduplicate or
involute or convolute, 8–16 cm long, 1 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle. Panicle elliptic, 11–15 cm
long, 2–7 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 8.5–17 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1–7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 8.5–17 mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume apex entire or erose.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 7–11 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 3
-awned. Median (principal) awn 22–50 mm long overall, with a twisted column.
Column 5–17 mm long. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea without keels. Anthers
3. Grain 6–7 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Cook, Darling Downs, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, Wide Bay. New
South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, Central Tablelands, North-Western
Slopes.
Notes. Coastal
New South Wales to south-eastern Queensland and northern Queensland to New
Guinea. Eucalyptus and Melaleuca communities on sandy soils.
Flowering and fruiting all year.
