Triodia bunicola
(S.W.L. Jacobs) M. Lazarides. Austral. Syst. Bot. 10: 419–420 (1997).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Triodia
scariosa subsp. bunicola S.W.L. Jacobs, Telopea 4(4): 654
(1992).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: South Australia: Flinders Range District; Flinders
Ranges north of Hawker, 19.viii.1966., S.W.L. Jacobs s.n. (HT: SYD).
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 (411).
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
34P-Q), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (411, fig. 340).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 30–100 cm tall. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous, glabrous on surface.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades
straight, filiform, conduplicate, 11–30 cm long, 0.7–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, dense, (9–)15–18(–27) cm
long, 1–2 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–8), comprising 5–8 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, elliptic or oblong, laterally compressed, 13–20 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, scarious or
cartilaginous, keeled, 1-keeled, 5–9 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous.
Lower glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper glume oblong, 8.5–14 mm long,
scarious or cartilaginous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3–9 -nerved. Upper glume surface
scabrous, glabrous. Upper glume apex entire, muticous or mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 7–10 mm long, without keel or keeled, 9–11 -nerved. Lemma surface
glabrous or indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, muticous or mucronate.
Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 0.8–0.9 mm long overall. Palea apex
dentate. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Victoria.
South Australia:
Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty,
Murray, Yorke Peninsula. Victoria: Murray Mallee, Lowan Mallee.
Notes.
Distinguished by its narrow, dense panicle; flattened, closely flowered
spikelet; mostly cartilaginous glumes, lemmas and paleas; 3–7 nerved glumes,
1/2–3/4 as long as the spikelet; lanceolate, partly hirsute, minutely 2-lobed,
usually muticous lemma with the 3 midveins forming a keel towards the apex;
partly hairy 2-textured palea, long relative to the lemma.
SE
S.A. and western Vic. Stony hillslopes with skeletal soils, floodplains,
sandhills, brown sands and loams deep sands, interdunes; flowers May-Dec.
