Poa billardierei (Spreng.) St.-
Yves. Candollea 3: 284 (1927).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Festuca
littoralis Labill. Nov. Holl. Pl. 1: 22, t. 27 (1804[1805]).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: T: Labillardiere, Tasmania: Capite Van-Diemen
(FI).
Recent synonyms:
Austrofestuca triticoides (Steud.) E.B.Alexeev, Austrofestuca
littoralis (Labill.) E.B.Alexeev
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (178 as Festuca
littoralis), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (651), [1952]
C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (as Festuca
littoralis), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia (as Austrofestuca littoralis), [2002] J.Wheeler,
N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the South West (as Austrofestuca
littoralis), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of
South Australia (112 as Austrofestuca littoralis), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales
(348), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(275 as Austrofestuca littoralis).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (93,
Pl. 26 as Festuca littoralis), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian
Grasses (143 as Festuca
littoralis), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of
South Australia (113, Fig.73, as Austrofestuca
littoralis), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, 4th edn (348), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of
Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (273, Fig.36 as as Austrofestuca
littoralis).
Derivation: L. lit(t)us,
sea shore; -ale, pertaining to. Sand dune, salt marsh species or
river-banks.
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present. Culms 8–75 cm tall. Ligule an eciliate membrane,
0.8–1.5 mm long, abaxially glabrous. Leaf-blades aciculate, involute, 8.5–50 cm
long, 0.6–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear or lanceolate, 4–16 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (4–6), comprising 4–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 9.4–18 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume linear, coriaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 3–5 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 9.3–14 mm long, coriaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, (3–)5 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 8.5–12.8(–14.5) mm long, keeled, 5–8 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate,
muticous or mucronate. Median (principal) awn from a sinus. Lodicules present.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria, Tasmania.
Western Australia:
Warren, Eyre. South Australia: Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Southern
Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. New South Wales: North Coast,
Central Coast, South Coast. Victoria: East Gippsland, Gippsland Plain,
Otway Plain, Otway Range, Wilsons Promontory, Wannon. Tasmania: Furneaux
Group, North West, North East, Midlands, East Coast.
Notes. Coastal
regions of Tas., Vic., N.S.W. S from Grafton and W.A. Also N.Z. Flowers
(July-)Sept.-Oct.(-Jan.). Fruits Dec.-Jan.
