Common name: Annual Cat's Tail
Rostraria cristata (L.) Tzvelev APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual to 0.4 m high.
Leaves with ligule membranous, to 1.5 mm long, obtuse to truncate, finely toothed to erose; blade flat, to 3 mm wide, glabrous or with hairs to 1.5 mm long.
Inflorescence contracted, 1.5–6 cm long, to 1.5 cm wide. Spikelets 2.5–4.5 mm long (excluding awns), to 3 mm wide, strongly laterally compressed; florets 5–7, uppermost often reduced; rachilla, if extended, glabrous or with hairs to 0.5 mm long. Lower glume 1.5–3.5 mm long; upper 2–4 mm long. Lemmas 2–3.5 mm long (excluding awn), acute, upper keel usually scabrous, smooth or warty, margins ciliolate to scabrous, with a subterminal awn to 2.5 mm long; lowest lemma often with hairs to 1 mm long; upper lemmas usually glabrous. Palea shorter than lemma.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in disturbed habitats.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & K. L. McClay
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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.
|
