Rytidosperma occidentale

Rytidosperma occidentale (Vickery) Connor
& Edgar. New Zealand J. Bot. 17: 332 (1979).

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

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Danthonia
occidentalis
Vickery, Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 1(5): 300
(1950).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: Fitzgerald s.n., Nov 1900, Australia:
Western Australia: Karrakatta (NSW-4389; IT: K).

Recent synonyms:
Notodanthonia occidentalis (Vickery) Veldkamp, Austrodanthonia
occidentalis
(Vickery) H.P. Linder.

Key references
(books and floras):
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the
South West (401).

Derivation: L.
occident,
west; -ale, pertaining to. From western Australia.

Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 25–70 cm tall, 3–4 -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous.
Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute, 5–30 cm
long, 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–5), comprising 3–5 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, cuneate, laterally compressed, 14.5–23 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 5–7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 16–22 mm long, membranous,
without keels, 5–7 -nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–2.6 mm long, without keel, 9 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex lobed, awned, 3 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 12–17
mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 4–6 mm long. Lateral lemma awns
present. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1.7–2.1 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia.

Western Australia:
Irwin, Drummond, Menzies, Warren, Eyre, Avon.

Notes.
Endemic to south-western Australia, from Geraldton to Albany, altitude 0–250 m,
coastal sands or loamy sands, often in Jarrah-Banksia associations. Flowers
Oct. to Nov.

 

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