Austrostipa exilis (Vickery) S.W.L.Jacobs
& J.Everett. Telopea 6 :585 (1996).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa exilis Vickery,
Telopea 2(1): 13 (1980).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: South Australia: Northern York
Peninsula, Section 155, Hundred of Wiltunga, ca. 140 km NNW of Adelaide, 21 Oct
1966, Copley 799 (HT: AD-9670326).
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 (92), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (32).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (93, fig. 55; plate 3), [2009]. A.Wilson
(ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (31, Fig 4).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 40–60 cm tall, 2 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths
antrorsely scabrous, hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.5–2.5 mm long,
membranous, obtuse. Leaf-blades flexuous, filiform, involute or convolute, 5–25
cm long, 0.2–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle. Panicle linear, 5–20 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 8–11 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, hyaline, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 7–8 mm long, hyaline, without keels,
5 -nerved. Upper glume surface scabrous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4.5–5.5 mm long, without keel. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma
apex dentate or lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus,
35–55(–60) mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 15–21 mm long. Palea
without keels. Anthers 3. Grain 3–3.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria.
Western Australia:
Eucla, Eyre, Roe. South Australia: Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty,
Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Victoria:
Midlands.
Notes. Heath and scrub on
sandy soil in southern South Australia, barely extending into Victoria and
Western Australia (although not on the Nullarbor Plain).
