Triodia fitzgeraldii C.A.Gardner ex
N.T.Burbidge. J. Roy. Soc. Western Australia 30: 25 (1946).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Dillon Springs, East Kimberly, Oct 1903,
W.V. Fitzgerals 1643 (HT: PERTH; IT: NSW (3 sheets)).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (75), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (71,
Pl. 21).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 60 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringe of hairs.
Leaf-blades straight or flexuous, aciculate, conduplicate, 9–20 cm long, 0.9–1.3
mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Panicle linear, 25–30 cm long,
0.5 cm wide. Racemes appressed, 3–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–30
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, linear, laterally compressed, 4–6 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or oblong,
membranous or scarious, without keels, 1 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous.
Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong, 2.5–3.5 mm long,
membranous or scarious, without keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous.
Upper glume apex entire, muticous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–4 mm long, without keel or keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia.
Western Australia:
Gardner.
Notes.
Poorly collected.
Distinguished by the spiciform racemose
panicle; long-ciliate margins of leaf-sheaths and orifice; scarious glumes,
lemmas and paleas; ovate, few-flowered spikelets; unequally and shortly lobed
lemmas; hairy leaf sheaths; filiform flexuose panicle branches.
Known
only from Dillon Springs, East Gardner District, Kimberley Region, W.A. Rocky
skeletal slopes of sandstone hills; flowers Oct.
