Common name: Bristle Grass
Trisetum spicatum (L.) K.Richt. APNI* 
Description: Tufted perennial to 0.4 m high. Culms erect, usually velvety with hairs to 0.5 mm long.
Sheaths glabrous or velvety with hairs <1 mm long; ligule membranous, to 2 mm long, obtuse, erose, rim sometimes with hairs to 1 mm long; blade to 0.4 cm wide, glabrous or pubescent with hairs <0.5 mm long.
Inflorescence spicate or paniculate, closed, 4–10cm long, to 2 cm wide (excluding awns); rachis pubescent with hairs to 1 mm long. Spikelets 5–6 mm long (excluding awns); florets 2–3; rachilla with 2 rows of hairs to 1 mm long, often prolonged as a sterile projection to 2 mm long. Glumes oblong, acuminate to acute, 1-keeled, keel scabrous or ciliate with hairs to 0.5 mm long; lower glume 3–4 mm long, 1-nerved; upper glume 4–5 mm long, broader than lower glume, 3-nerved. Lemmas lanceolate, 3.5–5 mm long, acute or 2-toothed, awned, margin translucent, glabrous; teeth slender, c. 0.5 mm long; awn dorsal, to 4 mm long, strongly curved or straight, scabrous; palea subequal to lemma, 2-toothed, 2-nerved, 2-keeled, translucent.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Plants of mountain areas including high alpine areas; in the Kosciusko area.
NSW subdivisions: ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas.
T. spicatum is a complex species, there are many forms or varieties
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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