Common name: Katoora Grass
Sporobolus actinocladus (F.Muell.) F.Muell. APNI* 
Description: Caespitose, slender perennials to c. 75 cm tall
Culms erect, occasionally branched, smooth, glabrous; nodes ribbed, glabrous. Sheaths tightly enclosing culm, becoming loose with age, ribbed, glabrous, sometimes upper margin with rigid hairs to 1 mm long; ligule a rim of hairs 0.5–1 mm long, often with rigid hairs to 1.5 mm long at each end; blade1.5–15 cm long, to 3 mm wide, scabrous, glabrous or abaxial surface scattered with rigid tubercle-based hairs to 1.5 mm long, margin hirsute.
Inflorescence paniculate, open, 3–20 cm long, 0.7–7 cm wide, exserted at maturity, branches one-sided, lower 10–50% naked, spicate with appressed branchlets bearing spikelets; branches of lowest node 9–12, whorled, spreading, upper branches ± appressed; rachis smooth, glabrous. Spikelets 1–2 mm long, appressed, overlapping, sessile or sub sessile, dark green-grey. Lower glume triangular to lanceolate, 0.25–0.5 mm long, acute, hyaline; upper glume lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 mm long, acute, 1-nerved, scabrous. Lemma lanceolate 1–2 mm long, acuminate, 1-nerved, scabrous, glabrous; palea shorter than lemma, 2-lobed, 2-nerved, usually split between nerves.
Flowering: Flowers in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in inland areas.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld S.A. N.T.
Text by 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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