Rytidosperma erianthum (Lindl.) Connor & Edgar APNI* Synonyms: Austrodanthonia eriantha (Lindl.) H.P.Linder APNI*
Danthonia eriantha Lindl. APNI*
Description: Erect, densely caespitose perennials to 0.7 m high.
Culms slender, smooth, 3-noded. sheaths slender, hirsute; ligule reduced to cilia, longer at the margins; blade fine, inrolled-setaceous, rarely somewhat flat, usually more or less hirsute, to 25 cm long.
Inflorescence at length much inserted, lanceolate to ovate, loosely or rather closely contracted, 2–7 cm long, with 4–15 spikelets 4–6(-8)-flowered, greenish tinged with purple, the florets shorter than the glumes. Glumes with moderately broad membranous margins, 11–13-nerved, 11–16 mm long. Lemmas 3.5–4 mm long, lanceolate, shining, rather broad; back with distinct rows of hair tufts; lateral lobes 2–3 times as long as the body of the lemma, narrowing rather quickly into fine setae c. 6 mm long; central awn much exceeding the lateral lobes, genticulate, the lower 30% rather closely twisted and brown, the upper 70% firm, straight; palea obovate to oblong or rarely oblanceolate, minutely ciliare on the keels.
Flowering: Flowers in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in a variety of habitats.
NSW subdivisions: NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B. 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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