Triodia longiceps J. M. Black. Trans.&
Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 54:59(1930).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: 17 Aug 1929, Finke Gorge, Hermannsberg,
Central Australia, J.B. Cleland (HT: MEL).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (76), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (445), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (414).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (70,
Pl. 20), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (414, fig. 345).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons absent or present. Culms 60–250 cm tall. Leaf-sheaths
glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades straight,
aciculate, conduplicate, 10–25 cm long, 0.9–1.3 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle of racemes. Panicle linear or
lanceolate, 20–61 cm long, 1–2(–4) cm wide, evenly furnished or contracted
about primary branches.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (6–21), comprising 6–21 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, linear, laterally compressed, 8–15(–20) mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate,
chartaceous or scarious or indurate, keeled, 1-keeled, 1(–3) -nerved. Lower
glume surface glabrous or indumented. Lower glume apex muticous or mucronate.
Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 3.5–6 mm long, chartaceous or scarious or
indurate, keeled, 1-keeled, 1(–3) -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous or
indumented. Upper glume apex entire or lobed, muticous or mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4–6 mm long, without keel or keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Lemma surface
glabrous or indumented. Lemma apex entire or dentate or lobed, muticous.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland.
Western Australia:
Canning, Carnegie, Fortescue, Ashburton, Austin. Northern Territory:
Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North, Central Australia South. South
Australia: North-western. Queensland: Burke, South Kennedy, Gregory
North, Mitchell, Warrego.
Notes.
Distinguished by its robust habit; spiciform panicle; linear often blunt
spikelets; minutely lobed mostly glabrous abruptly lanceolate lemmas; short
blunt stout callus; winged exposed palea keels; bluish colouring; finely
long-pungent blades.
Distributed
latitudinally in a central belt in central W.A., southern N.T., northern S.A.,
and central and NW Qld. Seasonally flooded banks, beds and watercourses; sand
plains with claypans; swamps, valley floors, flats, and low-lying fine silty
sandplains; low stony rises; rocky hillslopes and ridges; shallow or skeletal,
gravelly, pebbly or stony soils in association with sandstone, granite,
quartzite, laterite, and commonly limestone rocks; also in deeper sands, sandy
red earths, podsols, sandy loams and calcareous soils; flowers in all seasons.
