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Genus Deyeuxia Family Poaceae

Description: Erect or spreading, tufted perennials.

Leaves with ligule membranous, entire or toothed.

Inflorescence a terminal, contracted or open panicle.

Spikelets shortly pedicellate, laterally compressed, numerous and often densely overlapping, rachilla disarticulating between the glumes and the lemma, floret 1, bisexual, rachilla often produced as a bristle beyond the floret, rarely a second floret present. Glumes subequal, 1-nerved, keeled, awnless, acute. Lemma almost as long as or longer than the glumes, 3–5-nerved, entire or toothed at the apex, firmer in texture than the glumes, with a short, often bent, dorsal awn or awnless, callus often hairy, the hairs shorter than the lemma. Palea as long as the lemma, 2-nerved and 2-keeled, thinly membranous and soft.


Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 40 species, temperate regions of Australasia. Australia: c. 35 species (native), all States except N.T.

Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept:

 Key to the species 
1Awn absent (the awns of some species are readily deciduous, so many spikelets should be examined)2
Awn present3
2Leaves 2–4 cm long, mostly in tufts at the base of the plant; panicle narrow, 2–5 cm long, spikelets 2–2.5 mm longDeyeuxia innominata
Leaves 4–10 cm long with many leaves on stems; panicle open to slightly contracted, 5–10 cm long; spikelets 3–3.5 mm long
                       Back to 1
Deyeuxia nudiflora
3Awn arising from lower 35% of lemma4
Awn arising from upper 65% of lemma
                       Back to 1
5
4Lower glume slightly longer than upper glume or glumes equal; lemmas with 4 long teeth at apex; rachilla not usually prolonged beyond floret; panicle lobed or linear, denseDeyeuxia quadriseta
Lower glume slightly shorter than upper glume; lemma teeth variable; rachilla prolonged beyond floret and may bear a second floret; panicle dense to moderately contracted
                       Back to 3
Deyeuxia monticola
5Awn arising about the middle of the lemma6
Awn arising in top 30% of lemma (subterminal)
                       Back to 3
11
6Panicle less than 15 cm long7
Panicle 15 cm or more in length
                       Back to 5
9
7Spikelets 3.5 mm long or less; awn less than 3 mm long; panicle somewhat contracted; slender plantDeyeuxia rodwayi
Spikelets 4 mm or more in length; awn 3–4 mm long
                       Back to 6
8
8Spikelets 5 mm or more in length; panicle cylindrical, dense; rachilla produced as a glabrous bristle; leaves with hard tip; decumbent plantDeyeuxia carinata
Spikelets c. 4–5 mm long; panicle more open; rachilla produced as a hairy bristle; leaves not hard-tipped; slender plant
                       Back to 7
Deyeuxia accedens
9Spikelets c. 3 mm long; awn 1–2 mm long, straight; panicle moderately dense, often lobed; erect plantsDeyeuxia mesathera
Spikelets 3.5 mm or more in length; awn 3 mm long; panicle open and spreading; robust plants
                       Back to 6
10
10Glumes unequal, the lower c. 75% the length of the upper; spikelets 4.5–5.5 mm long; awn longer than lemmaDeyeuxia frigida
Glumes equal or subequal; spikelets 3.5–4.5 mm long; awn only just exceeding the lemma
                       Back to 9
Deyeuxia benthamiana
11Awn short, less than 1 mm long and not usually projecting beyond lemma apex (if awn projects then spikelets 2 mm or less in length)12
Awn more than 1 mm long and projecting beyond the lemma
                       Back to 5
21
12Lemma longer than both glumes13
Lemma shorter than lower glume and often shorter than both glumes
                       Back to 11
15
13Panicle short, 2–9 cm long, narrow but not dense, with short, stiff branches; plants delicate, not usually more than 30 cm highDeyeuxia gunniana
Panicle larger, 12–20 cm long, open and spreading with long branches; plants more than 30 cm high, usually erect and fairly robust
                       Back to 12
14
14Panicle 12–30 cm long; spikelets c. 2.5 mm long, a second floret sometimes present on prolonged rachilla (var. parviseta)Deyeuxia parviseta
Panicle 20–40 cm long; spikelets c. 3.5 mm long
                       Back to 13
Deyeuxia mckiei
15Rachilla produced beyond the floret as a glabrous bristle or absent16
Rachilla produced beyond the floret as a hairy bristle
                       Back to 12
19
16Spikelets 4 mm or more long; callus glabrous; plant slenderDeyeuxia angustifolia
Spikelets less than 4 mm long; callus hairy; erect plants
                       Back to 15
17
17Panicle very dense, linear; lemma truncate and minutely 4-toothed at apexDeyeuxia imbricata
Panicle more open, often spreading; lemma tip obtuse, acute or toothed
                       Back to 16
18
18Panicle open, spreading and usually large, 12–30 cm long, nerves of lemma conspicuous; lemma not conspicuously scaberulous; rachilla bristle often absentDeyeuxia decipiens
Panicle more contracted, 7–20 cm long, linear-lanceolate in outline; nerves of lemma inconspicuous; lemma scaberulous
                       Back to 17
Deyeuxia contracta
19Spikelets less than 3 mm long (var. boormanii)Deyeuxia parviseta
Spikelets 3 mm or more in length
                       Back to 15
20
20Panicle short, 6–9 cm long; glumes subequal; lemma not obviously scaberulousDeyeuxia microseta
Panicle longer, usually 9 cm or more in length; lemma distinctly scaberulous (light hairs on a darker surface); glumes unequal
                       Back to 19
Deyeuxia scaberula
21Spikelets 4 mm or more in length22
Spikelets less than 4 mm long
                       Back to 11
24
22Panicle large and spreading, 20–60 cm long, with long, bare branches; robust plantDeyeuxia acuminata
Panicle narrow and denser, 6–18 cm long, with spikelets towards the bases of the branches
                       Back to 21
23
23Awns 1–2 mm long, straight; panicle short, dense, 6–8 cm long; short grassDeyeuxia crassiuscula
Awns 4–5 mm long; curved, panicle fairly dense, 8–18 cm long; erect plant
                       Back to 22
Deyeuxia brachyathera
24Panicle large, open, c. 20 cm long; lemma longer than glumes; erect plantDeyeuxia reflexa
Panicle moderately open to contracted; lemma shorter than the glumes; plants erect or spreading
                       Back to 21
25
25Panicle 20–30 cm long, linear to lobed; awn 3–5 mm long; erect plantDeyeuxia appressa
Panicle 2–6 cm long, contracted, cylindrical; awn 1.5 mm long; short alpine grass
                       Back to 24
Deyeuxia affinis

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