Austrostipa aristiglumis (F.Muell.)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 584 (1996).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa
aristiglumis F. Mueller, Trans. & Proc. Victorian Inst. Advancem.
Sci. 43 (1855).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: In bushy parts of the Murray Desert, F. Mueller.
Recent synonyms:
Stipa fusiformis Hughes.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (570 as Stipa
aristiglumis), [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 (151), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (52).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (151), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (37, Fig 5).
Derivation: L. arista,
bristle; gluma, husk. With awned subtending glumes or lemmas.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 100–200 cm tall, 2.5 mm diam., 3 -noded. Mid-culm
internodes glabrous or pubescent. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches
simple. Leaf-sheaths smooth or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.8–3
mm long, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 20–40 cm long, 3–6
mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 20–40(–55) cm long, 6–10
cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, linear, terete, 8–14 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 6–12 mm long, membranous, without keels,
5 -nerved. Upper glume surface smooth or asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4–7.5 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex entire or lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 25–40 mm
long overall, with a twisted column. Column 4–17 mm long. Palea 2 -nerved,
without keels. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 3–4.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
Queensland:
Port Curtis, Burnett, Darling Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: North
Coast, Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, North-Western
Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains,
South-Western Plains. Victoria: Midlands, Murray Mallee, Riverina,
Volcanic Plain, Wimmera.
Notes. The callus is very
short relative to the overall length of the floret in this species.
On heavy soils west of the Great
Dividing Range from southern Queensland to Victoria.
