Triodia intermedia Cheel. Kongl.
Svenska Vetenskapsakad Handl. 52: 4 (1916).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Noonkanbah, West Kimberley, Dec 1910, Mjoberg's
Swedish Sci. Exped. 18 (HT: S; IT: PERTH).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (77), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (445), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (70,
Pl. 20).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 22–160 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades straight,
aciculate, conduplicate, 7–12(–20) cm long, 0.7–1 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, (5–)8–12(–25) cm long, 1–3
cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–10), comprising 5–10 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, oblong or cuneate, laterally compressed or terete, 8–13 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma, dull or shiny. Lower glume
lanceolate or oblong, scarious or cartilaginous or indurate, keeled, 1-keeled,
3–5 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex muticous or
mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong, 4–7.5 mm long, scarious or
cartilaginous or indurate, keeled, 1-keeled, 3–5 -nerved. Upper glume surface
glabrous. Upper glume apex entire or lobed, muticous or mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 3–6 mm long, without keel or keeled, 9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory.
Western Australia:
Fitzgerald, Hall, Dampier. Canning. Northern Territory: Victoria River,
Central Australia North.
Notes.
Distinguished by its paniculate inflorescence; closely flowered often purple
spikelets; subequal mucronate 3-nerved glumes shorter than spikelet; broadly
ovate, equally 3-lobed, 9-nerved lemmas; ovate-orbicular relatively long paleas
with extremely broad, prominently exposed wings on the keels; trigonous,
strongly curved thickened caryopsis.
Between
16°S and 22°S, and E to 135°E in W.A. and N.T. Skeletal soils on granite,
limestone, sandstone, quartzite, slate and laterite; sandy pindann; rocky and
gravelly scree and hill slopes, cliffs, ridges, outcrops, gorges and mesas; red
calcareous soils; flowers Dec.-Feb., Apr.-Sept.; fruits Dec.-Feb., Apr.-Sept.
