Deyeuxia densa

Deyeuxia densa Benth. Fl. Austral. 7: 582 (1878).

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

Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: ST: F. Mueller s.n., Australia: Victoria: Wilson's Promontory, Maroka Valley and the Yarra River ST: F. Mueller s.n., Australia: South Australia: Lofty Ranges and Onkaparinga.

Key references (books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (582), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (211), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (200).

Illustrations: [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia  (196, Fig. 27212, fig. 158).

Habit. Perennial. Culms stature slender to delicate, 30–90 cm tall, 3–4 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 3–4 mm long, membranous, abaxially scaberulous, entire or erose, obtuse. Leaf-blades linear, flat or involute, 2–15 cm long, 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or scabrous.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear or oblong or ovate, dense, 2–15 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide.

Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with a barren rachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, (3–)3.5–5.5 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, much thinner on margins, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 5–5.5 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.

Florets. Fertile lemma 5–5.5 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex entire or erose or dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn dorsal, 5 mm long overall, with a straight or slightly twisted column or with a twisted column. Palea apex dentate. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.

Continental Distribution: Australasia.

Australian Distribution: South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania.

South Australia: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Otway Range, Wilsons Promontory, Wannon. Tasmania: Furneaux Group, West Coast, Central Highlands, East Coast, South West.

Notes. Endemic. Commonly in heaths, sedgelands and on stream banks in damp, open to lightly shaded sites, but in rocky sites at highe altitudes in the Grampians, Vic. Flowers Oct.-Jan.

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