Dallwatsonia felliana

Dallwatsonia felliana B.K. Simon. Austrobaileya 3: 678 (1992).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.

Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: Australia: Queensland: Cook Dist.: Rokeby National Park, Langi Lagoon, 25 km N of Ranger Station, 13.27S 142.41E, 30 Apr 1991, fringe and bank of a permanent freshwater lagoon, an occasional grass to 1 m growing in 10 cm of water, D.G. Fell 2295 (HT: BRI-AQ540192; IT: CANB, K).

Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Habit. Perennial. Culms erect, 70–130 cm tall, 7 -noded. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long, 3.5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 15–22 cm long, contracted about primary branches.

Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 3.5–4 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

Glumes. Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, 5 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume lanceolate, 3.5 mm long, membranous, without keels, 6–7 -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous.

Fertile lemma 3.5 mm long, without keel. Anthers 3.

Continental Distribution: Australasia.

Australian Distribution: Queensland.

Queensland: Cook.

Notes. Restricted to two localities on Cape York Peninsula.

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