Common name: Speargrass
Austrostipa scabra (Lindl.) S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett APNI* Description: Caespitose perennial to c. 0.6 m high.
Leaves with sheath becoming slightly loose, usually slightly to moderately ribbed, glabrous, scabrous or pubescent; ligule truncate, membranous, 0.3–1.5 mm long, ciliate; auricles, when present, c. 0.2 mm long; blade folded or inrolled, 0.7–2 mm wide, smooth to strongly ribbed, with minute hairs, margins glabrous, scabrous or ciliate.
Panicle exserted, contracted or expanded, to 30 cm long. Spikelets scarcely to moderately gaping at maturity, 8–15 mm long (excluding awn). Glumes unequal, acute to acuminate. Lemma 4–6.5 mm long, smooth to granular upwards, densely silky; lobes minute to 0.5 mm long; coma obscure or absent. Callus straight, weakly bent at the tip, densely silky. Awn falcate, twice bent, 3–7 cm long. Palea 75–95% the length of the lemma.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. N.T. S.A. W.A.
Text by SWL Jacobs and J Everett 1993 (as Stipa)
Taxon concept: Flora NSW vol 4 (1993)
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Inflorescence narrow; ligule 0.3–1.5 mm long, asymmetrical auricular (sheath) lobe of upper leaves to 4 mm long or more, usually glabrous | subsp. scabra |
| Inflorescence spreading; ligule 0.3–0.6 mm long, asymmetrical lobe of upper leaves usually >1 mm long (usually with a row of hairs) | subsp. falcata |
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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