Austrostipa curticoma (Vickery)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 585 (1996).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa curticoma
Vickery, Telopea 2(1): 11 (1980).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: South Australia: Mt. Lofty Ranges, 3 km
S of Mt. Barker, 13 Oct 1974, M.D. Crisp 884 (CBG-058899).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (82), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (53).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (82, fig. 43), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.),
Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (37, Fig 5).
Derivation: L. curtus,
short; coma, hair-tuft. With a short tuft of hairs at the apex of the
lemma.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 60–120 cm tall, 2–3 mm diam., 3–4 -noded. Mid-culm internodes
glabrous. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths
glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane,
0.5–1.5 mm long, abaxially hairy, truncate. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 15–30
cm long, 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, 15–30 cm long, 5–7 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, linear, terete, 12–16 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 9–14 mm long, membranous, without keels,
5 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 6.5–8 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex dentate or lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a
sinus, 45–65 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 9–25 mm long. Palea
2 -nerved, without keels. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 4 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Victoria.
South Australia:
Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty,
Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Victoria: Grampians, Midlands, Volcanic
Plain.
Notes. This species has
characteristic tufts of hairs about 1 mm long on the auricles.
Heavier soils of the Lofty
regions of southern South Australia, Kangaroo Island and extending into the
Grampians, Victoria.
