Austrostipa densiflora (Hughes) S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett. Telopea 6: 585 (1996).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Stipeae.
Basionym and/or Replacement Name: Stipa congesta Summerh. & C.E. Hubb., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1925: 362 (1927).
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: HT: Etheridge s.n., 1865, Australia: South Victoria (K).
Recent synonyms: S. densifloa.
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 (101), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (152), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (19).
Illustrations: [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (101, Fig. 63), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (152), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (18, Fig.2C).
Derivation: L. densus, dense; flos, flower. Inflorescences congested.
Habit. Perennial. Culms 60–150 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.1–4 mm long, entire or lacerate, truncate. Leaf-blades involute or convolute, 6–13 cm long, 1–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic or oblong, 10–30 cm long, 2–4 cm wide.
Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 14–16 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, without keels, 3 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume lanceolate, 12–16 mm long, membranous, without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented.
Florets. Fertile lemma 6 mm long, without keel. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 30–45 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 13–20 mm long. Palea without keels. Grain 3–3.5 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Murray, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island. Queensland: Darling Downs. New South Wales: Central Coast, South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Midlands, Riverina, Snowfields, Wimmera.
Notes. Tablelands and western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, from southern Queensland into Victoria and higher areas of southern South Australia, usually on low fertility soils.
