Austrostipa tenuifolia (Steud.)
S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 589 (1996).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Stipa
tenuifolia Steud., Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 128 (1854).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Drummond IV 391, Australia (P; IT: K,
MEL-59997).
Recent synonyms: Stipa eriopus, S. leptophylla.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (570 as Stipa
eriopus), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(180 & 174 as Stipa leptophylla, 179 as Stipa eriopus),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2002]
J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the South West (404), [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (78),
[2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(49).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (78, fig. 39), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.),
Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (44, Fig 6).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 30–100 cm tall. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliate membrane,
0.8–4 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades filiform, involute, 0.5–2(–3) mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, effuse, 15–35 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 15 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 12–18 mm long, membranous,
without keels, 5 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 8 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 50–120 mm long
overall, with a twisted column. Column 11–16(–20) mm long. Palea without keels.
Grain 3–5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia.
Western Australia:
Austin. Irwin, Drummond, Dale, Menzies, Eyre, Roe, Avon, Coolgardie. South
Australia: Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo
Island, South-eastern.
Notes. Differs from the
Queensland species A. blakei by having a dense line of long white hairs
on the auricles or sheath lobes instead of being glabrous or with only a few
hairs.
Southern regions of Western
Australia and east to the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia.
