Austrostipa pycnostachya

Austrostipa pycnostachya (Benth.)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 588 (1996).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Stipa
pycnostachya
Benth, Fl. Austral. 7: 568 (1878).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: Drummond 121, 1849, Australia: Western
Australia: Int. S.W. Australia (K; IT: CANB-237004, MEL-59978).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (568 as Stipa
pycnostachya
), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(177 as Stipa), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (50).

Illustrations:
[2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (31,
Fig 4).

Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Culms 15–60 cm tall, wiry. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 3–5(–7) mm long, membranous, acute. Leaf-blades aciculate,
conduplicate or involute or terete, 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, dense, 5–14 cm long.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Basal sterile spikelets absent or rudimentary. Fertile
spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla
extension, lanceolate, terete, 10–12 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 10–14 mm long, membranous, without
keels, 3–5 -nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 3 mm long, without keel. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex
lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 30–50 mm long overall, with a
twisted column. Column 8–15 mm long. Palea without keels. Grain 2–2.7 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia.

Western Australia:
Drummond, Eyre, Roe, Coolgardie.

Notes. Confined to the
south-west of Western Australia in the Coolgardie, Roe, Eyre and Darling
Districts.

AVH 2011

 

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith