Triodia mitchellii Benth. Fl.
Austral. 7: 606 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Triodeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: ST: Leichhardt s.n., Australia: Queensland:
on the Maranoa (MEL). ST: Mitchell s.n., Asutralia: near Mt. Pluto.
Recent synonyms:
Triodia hostilis.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (606),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales
(387).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (387).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons absent or present. Culms 15–200 cm tall. Leaves cauline.
Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled or flexuous, flat or conduplicate
or involute, 30–60 cm long, 0.7–3.5 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or elliptic or oblong or
ovate, dense or loose, 10–26 cm long, 2–4(–8) cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets, comprising 5–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex,
elliptic, laterally compressed or terete, 4.5–18.5 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, scarious or
cartilaginous, without keels, 3(–5) -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous or
indumented. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume elliptic, 4–10 mm long,
scarious or cartilaginous, without keels, 3(–5) -nerved. Upper glume surface
smooth or asperulous, glabrous or indumented. Upper glume apex entire or
dentate or lobed, muticous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4–7 mm long, without keel, 3–13 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, muticous. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Burke, Burnett, Darling Downs,
Leichhardt, Maranoa, Mitchell, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy,
Warrego, Wide Bay, Gregory North. New South Wales: North-Western Slopes,
Central-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains.
Notes.
The highly resinous leaves, panicle branches and glumes; long-bearded orifice
margins; 3-nerved cartilaginous glumes; loose exserted florets; mostly hairy
deeply lobed lemmas; winged palea keels; and large branched rather dense
panicle are diagnostic features.
Allied with T. pungens, but differing
in foliage and lemma indumentum, spikelet morphology and panicle structure.
Qld,
N.S.W. and one record from NE N.T. Shallow often stony soils on hillslopes,
ridges and plateaux of sandstone, quartzite, granite, limestone, slates and
laterite, often among boulders or outcrops; also in depressions, on sandy creek
banks, hard red soils, and sand dunes and other deep sandy soils; flowers all
seasons.
