Common name: Bristle-tail Grass
Psilurus incurvus (Gouan) Schinz & Thell. APNI* 
Description: Small, delicate annuals to c. 40 cm tall. Culms very slender, smooth, glabrous, reddish-purple toward node; nodes 2–3, glabrous, reddish-purple.
Sheaths enclosing culm, shorter than internode, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown toward node; ligule membranous, to 0.5 mmlong, truncate; blade, involute, 1–3 cm long, glabrous, margin scabrous.
Inflorescence a spike, very slender, curved, 7–15 cm long; rachis scabrous, reddish-purple. Spikelets of 1 floret, sessile, often with the rachilla extended as a sterile projection 0.5 –1 mm long, partially embedded in rachis. Glume solitary (except for terminal spikelet), c. 0.5 mm long, subulate, membranous; terminal floret with lower glume <0.25 mm long, acute, upper glume c. 0.5 mm long. Lemma linear, 3–4 mm long, closing hollow along rachis, 1-keeled, keel scabrous, glabrous; awn terminal, slender, 3–6 mm long; palea narrow, 3–4 mm long, 2-nerved, nerves scabrous.
Flowering: Flowers in spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in sandy and stony soils on hillsides. Native of Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *CT, *ST, *SWS
Other Australian states: *Vic. *S.A.
Text by in Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B.
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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