Deyeuxia mesathera

Deyeuxia mesathera Stapf ex Vickery

Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb.1: 53 (1940). Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.

Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: Australia, Sydney: Cheel (K holo).

Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (203), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (202).

Illustrations: [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (203).

Habit. Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 80–120 cm tall, 4–5 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 2–4 mm long, membranous, abaxially scaberulous, entire or erose, truncate. Leaf-blades linear, flat or convolute, 8–45 cm long, 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, dense, 5.5–25 cm long, 1–2 cm wide.

Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension or with a barren rachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 3 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes similar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.

Florets. Fertile lemma 3 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn dorsal, 3.5–4 mm long overall, without a column. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.

Continental Distribution: Australasia.

Australian Distribution: New South Wales.

New South Wales: Central Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands.

Notes. Endemic. S from Sydney.In swamps and on river banks. Flowers spring.

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