Austrostipa muelleri (Tate) S.W.L.Jacobs
& J.Everett. Telopea 6: 587 (1996).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa muelleri Tate,
Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 7: 70 (1885).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: South Australia: open parts in the stringy bark
forests (Eucalyptus obliqua) at Uraidla, Mt. Lofty Range, and scrublands c. Mt.
Jagged, towards Encounter Bay, flowering in October, R. Tate s.n. (HT:
AD).
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 (87), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (40).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (88, fig. 49), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.),
Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (55, Fig 8).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Culms erect or decumbent, 50–100 cm tall,
0.7–0.9(–1.2) mm diam., wiry. Lateral branches fastigiate or suffrutescent.
Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath auricles present. Ligule a fringe of hairs.
Leaf-blades filiform, 0.1 cm long, 0.15 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, terete, 18–30 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous or
herbaceous, much thinner on margins, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 15–30
mm long, membranous or herbaceous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Upper glume
surface scabrous (upper 20 %).
Florets.
Fertile lemma 13–20 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 50–100 mm long
overall, with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column 40–55 mm long.
Palea 2 -nerved, without keels. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Victoria.
South Australia:
Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Victoria: Eastern
Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Otway Range, Wannon.
Notes. This species has
spreading to decumbent, often scrambling, culms.
Woodland and shrubland of
southern Victoria and south-eastern South Australia.
