Common name: Flatawn Speargrass
Austrostipa platychaeta (Hughes) S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett APNI* Synonyms: Stipa platychaeta Hughes APNI*
Description: Diffuse or caespitose, wiry perennial to 2 m high, shortly rhizomatous, without a basal tuft of leaves.
Leaves with sheath not inflated, glabrous to scabrous, slightly to strongly ribbed; ligule membranous, obtuse to broadly laciniate, glabrous, 1–6 mm long; auricles thickened, glabrous; blade expanded or weakly rolled, 1–9 mm wide, glabrous, scabrous or sparsely hairy, margins glabrous to minutely scabrous.
Panicle exserted, to 40 cm long, spreading at maturity, with distant fascicles of unequal, few-flowered branches. Spikelets gaping at maturity, 7.5–15 mm long. Glumes unequal, acuminate. Lemma 4.5–6 mm long, granular, silky; lobes 2, 0.1–0.2 mm long or absent; coma absent. Callus almost straight, densely silky. Awn falcate, 6–9 cm long. Palea 60–80% the length of the lemma.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows on sandy soils in woodland or mallee.
NSW subdivisions: CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. W.A. S.A.
Text by SWL Jacobs and J Everett 1993 (as Stipa)
Taxon concept: Flora NSW vol 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.
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