Rytidosperma geniculatum

Rytidosperma geniculatum (J.M.Black)
Connor & Edgar. New Zealand J. Bot. 17: 323 (1979).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Danthonioideae. Tribe Danthonieae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Danthonia
geniculata
J.M. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 53:
261 (1929).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: LT: J.M. Black 1, 23 Nov 1917, Australia:
South Australia: Keith (AD; IK, MEL, NSW-1377, NSW-1378). LT designated by
Vickery, Contr. New South Wales NAtl. Herb. 2: 279 (1956).

Recent synonyms:
Notodanthonia geniculata (J.M.Black) Zotov, Austrodanthonia
geniculata
(J.M. Black) H.P. Linder.

Key references
(books and floras):
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia
(290).

Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
10, G-H), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia
 (292, fig. 227).

Derivation: L. genus,
knee; -ulus, diminutive. -ata, possessing. Plants with bent culms
or awns.

Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate,
8–45 cm tall, 3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule a fringe of hairs.
Leaf-blades filiform, involute, 7–20 cm long, 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 1–5 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, cuneate, laterally compressed, 6.7–10 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 7 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 5–8 mm long, membranous, without keels, 7
-nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.5–2.4 mm long, without keel, 9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned or 3 -awned. Median (principal)
awn from a sinus, 4–6 mm long overall, with a straight or slightly twisted
column. Lateral lemma awns absent or present. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Grain 1.2–1.4 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania.

South Australia:
Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Murray, Southern
Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Victoria: East Gippsland,
Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Murray Mallee, Otway Plain,
Otway Range, Wilsons Promontory, Volcanic Plain, Wannon, Wimmera. Tasmania:
North East, Midlands, East Coast.

Notes.
Restricted to southern Australia, from Eyre Peninsula to Gippsland and
Tasmania, altitude 10–600 m, widespread on sandy soils, associated with open
woodland, sunny grassland or heathland. Flowers Oct.

 

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