PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Genus Austrostipa Family Poaceae

Description: Perennials (rarely annuals) of various habit. Auricles often present, sometimes one-sided, grading into an usually membranous ligule.

Blade rolled or folded in bud, convolute, terete or flat, usually scabrous or hairy.

Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle, axis persistent or falling as a whole. Spikelets borne singly, pedicellate, disarticulating above the glumes; 1 bisexual floret. Glumes equal or unequal. 1–5-nerved, longer than the floret; a long or short bearded callus below each floret. Lemma terete, hardened, with convolute or involute margins enclosing the palea, usually 5-nerved, with or without 1–2 minute lobes, awned from the tip or between the lobes; awn with once or twice geniculate twisted column and a straight or curved bristle.

Palea membranous. 0–2-nerved, longer or shorter than the lemma. Lodicles 3 or 2.


Distribution and occurrence: A genus of c. 65 species endemic to temperate regions or habitats in Australasia. Many species are important components of native pastures. The mature fruits frequently penetrate the skin, mouths and eyes of stock causing discomfort resulting in lack of condition of stock as well as downgrading the value of the meat. The diaspores with awns and calluses also contaminate wool.

Formerly in the genus Stipa. This key includes species of Amelichoa, which were also formerly included in Stipa. Added K.L.Gibbons 24 Feb 2020.

Text by S.W.L. Jacobs
Taxon concept: Jacobs and Everett 1996; Jacobs et al. 2000.

 Key to the species 
1Panicle pyramidal when mature and spreading, with whorled branches, the branches and pedicles plumose with fine hairs mostly 0.5 mm or longer2
Panicle linear-cylindrical to ovate-cylindrical, the branches and pedicels glabrous, scabrous or pubescent with most hairs less than 0.3 mm long3
2Branches of the panicle plumose with hairs 1.5–2 mm long; culms glabrous; glumes pilose on the nerves, scabrous between the nervesAustrostipa elegantissima
Branches of the panicle plumose with hairs c. 0.5 mm long; culms pubescent around the nodes; glumes scabrous overall
                       Back to 1
Austrostipa tuckeri
3Culms branched4
Culms not branched
                       Back to 1
7
4Callus ± 0.5 mm long, sharp; palea more than 60% the length of the lemma5
Callus ± 0.5 mm long, blunt; palea ± 60% the length of the lemma
                       Back to 3
6
5Bristle quite flattened, distinctly broader at its base than the column, strongly curved; column scabrousAustrostipa platychaeta
Bristle round-triangular in cross section, as broad as or narrower at the base than the column, straight; column pubescent
                       Back to 4
Austrostipa acrociliata
6Lemma glabrous, 1.8–2.5 mm longAustrostipa ramosissima
Lemma with scattered, short, white hairs 2.7–4 mm long
                       Back to 4
Austrostipa verticillata
7Lemma with acute, hairy lobes 1.5–3 mm long at the apex; leaves pungent-pointed; coastal speciesAustrostipa stipoides
Lemma with lobes absent or less than 0.8 mm long; leaves not pungent pointed; habitats various
                       Back to 3
8
8Awn falcate, the bristle curved9
Awn twice bent or almost straight, the bristle straight
                       Back to 7
15
9Awn long-pubescent or plumose with spreading hairs, most of which are 0.25–0.8(–1.5) mm long10
Awn scabrous or puberulous with appressed hairs, most of which are ± 0.2 mm long
                       Back to 8
11
10Leaves with blade 2–6 mm wide (0.8–2 mm diam. if rolled), scabrous to hirsuteAustrostipa drummondii
Leaves with blade usually rolled, 0.3–0.6 mm diam., densely hirsute
                       Back to 9
Austrostipa trichophylla
11Bristle strongly flattened, broader at its base than the column; rhizomatousAustrostipa platychaeta
Bristle round-triangular in cross section, as broad as or narrower at the base than the column; not rhizomatous
                       Back to 9
12
12Leaves coarse: sheaths (3–)4.5–9 mm wide; blades 1–3 mm wide, rolled and erect or expanded and flexuous13
Leaves fine; sheaths 2–5 mm wide; blades 0.6–1.2 mm wide, rolled
                       Back to 11
14
13Panicle contracted, usually dense; innovations mostly intravaginal; nodes mostly concealed by the sheathsAustrostipa nitida
Panicle spreading, usually sparse; innovations mostly extravaginal; nodes exserted and conspicuous
                       Back to 12
Austrostipa nodosa
14Leaves with sheath softly pilose; blade with dense, long (± 0.5 mm) spreading hairsAustrostipa trichophylla
Leaves with sheath glabrous, scabrous or puberulous; blade glabrous, scabrous or shortly pubescent with most hairs less than 0.5 mm long
                       Back to 12
Austrostipa scabra
15Lemma with a coma of hairs at apex16
Coma absent
                       Back to 8
28
16Lemma glabrous or almost so, surface smooth and shiningAustrostipa nullanulla
Lemma pubescent, surface granular
                       Back to 15
17
17Glumes acuminate, very broad and inflated around the floret, sharply narrowing at the tip; floret broad-turbinate to oblong-cylindrical; callus sturdy and strongly curved or hooked, relatively short (usually 10–30% the length of the floret); awn relatively short (usually 4.5–6.5(–8) times the length of the floret); panicle expanded, usually with long branches18
Glumes acute or narrow-acuminate, not inflated around the floret, tapering gradually to the tip; floret cylindrical to narrow-turbinate; callus fine or sturdy, straight, only the proximal naked tip bent, relatively long (usually 25–40% the length of the floret); awn often relatively long (usually 5–)6–13 times the length of the floret); panicle contracted or expanded, usually with short branches
                       Back to 16
22
18Ligule 2–8 mm long, usually more than 3.5 mm long; palea with a deep adaxial central groove; lemma involuteAustrostipa setacea
Ligule ± 2 mm long; palea convex on the adaxial surface or only very slightly depressed between the nerves; lemma convolute
                       Back to 17
19
19Coma 2–5 mm long; lower leaves pubescent or hirsuteAustrostipa blackii
Coma ± 2 mm long; if 2 mm long then lower leaves scabrous or glabrous, not pubescent
                       Back to 18
20
20Mature floret fusiform; callus 0.4–1(–1.5) mm long, very short relative to the ((5.8–)6.5–8) mm long floret; ligule 0.8–1.5 mm longAustrostipa aristiglumis
Mature floret oblong-cylindrical; callus 1–2.5 mm long, long relative to the (4.5–)8.5(–9.5) mm long floret; ligule 0.3–0.5 mm long (not including auricles)
                       Back to 19
21
21Coma 0.8–1.3 mm long; floret 4.5–6 mm long (excluding awn), gibbous with an eccentric awn; awn 25–35(–50) mm longAustrostipa gibbosa
Coma (1.2–)1.4–2 mm long; floret 6–8.5(–9.5) mm long (excluding awn); awn centric, 30–60 mm long
                       Back to 20
Austrostipa bigeniculata
22Floret with a dense and obvious coma 2–3.5 mm long23
Floret with a coma ± 1.5 mm long, often obscure
                       Back to 17
25
23Column of the awn villous with hairs 0.5–1 mm longAustrostipa stuposa
Column of the awn scabrous or pubescent with hairs ± 0.3 mm long
                       Back to 22
24
24Lower glume 11–15 mm long; lemma 5.5–6.5 mm longAustrostipa wakoolica
Lower glume 16–20 mm long; lemma 7–8.2 mm long
                       Back to 23
Austrostipa metatoris
25Hairs on the lemma continued evenly to the apex, white or slightly reddish brown at maturity; floret linear-cylindrical to narrow-turbinate with no neck26
Hairs on the top 1–2 mm of the lemma abruptly shorter by c. 50% than those on the lower part of the lemma, reddish brown early in development; floret broad turbinate to broad oblong-cylindrical with a neck
                       Back to 22
27
26Lower glume 15–23 mm long; column of the awn villous with hairs 0.5–1 mm long; leaf sheaths usually hirsute or pubescent especially near the base; panicle 20–35 cm longAustrostipa stuposa
Lower glume ± 17 mm long; column of the awn scabrous, pubescent or villous; if villous then leaf sheaths scabrous or minutely puberulous and panicle to 12 cm long; near the coast
                       Back to 25
Austrostipa flavescens
27Lower glume 8–12 mm long; column of the awn scabrous with hairs 0.05–0.1 mm longAustrostipa puberula
Lower glume 15–25 mm long; column of the awn pubescent with hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long
                       Back to 25
Austrostipa eremophila
28Column of the awn pubescent to plumose with hairs more than 0.3 mm long29
Column of the awn scabrous or puberulous with hairs less than 0.3 mm long
                       Back to 15
31
29Column hairs 1–4 mm long, slightly appressed, distributed mainly along the ribs and thereby appearing to spiral with the spiralling column; floret 7.5–8.5 mm longAustrostipa mollis
Column hairs 0.3–1 mm long, spreading, evenly distributed round the column and therefore not appearing to spiral
                       Back to 28
30
30Glumes glabrous except on the nerves; awn 70–90 mm long; leaves scabrous or glabrous; floret 9–11.5 mm longAustrostipa semibarbata
Glumes pubescent; awn 35–45 mm long; leaves hirsute; floret 5.5–7 mm long
                       Back to 29
Austrostipa densiflora
31Palea with a deep adaxial central groove; lemma involute; ligule usually more than 3 mm longAustrostipa setacea
Palea convex on the adaxial surface; lemma convolute; ligule usually less than 3 mm long
                       Back to 28
32
32Lemma glabrous for varying lengths below the apex, surface often tuberculate, especially at the apex; nerves of the glumes heavily overlaid with sclerenchyma forming obvious ridges33
Lemma pubescent overall, hairs occasionally sparser at the apex, surface smooth or granular; glume nerves visible but not raised noticeably above the glume surface
                       Back to 31
36
33Spikelets 8–12 per panicle; column of the awn 55–70 mm long; subalpine grassAustrostipa nivicola
Spikelets more than 12 per panicle; column of the awn less than 55 mm long
                       Back to 32
34
34Lower glume ± 15 mm longAustrostipa rudis
Lower glume ± 17 mm long
                       Back to 33
35
35Ligule truncate, 0.4–1 mm long; glumes truncate; lemma surface strongly tuberculate at the apex; palea 50–70% the length of the lemma, obtuseAustrostipa pubescens
Ligule obtuse, 1–3 mm long; glume tips broad-obtuse and membranous; lemma surface granular; palea equal in length to the lemma, acute
                       Back to 34
Austrostipa pubinodis
36Callus ± 0.5 mm long, blunt; palea ± 60% the length of the lemma37
Callus ± 0.5 mm long, sharp; palea equal in length to the lemma
                       Back to 32
Austrostipa acrociliata
37Lemma glabrous, 1.8–2.5 mm longAustrostipa ramosissima
Lemma with scattered short white hairs, 2.7–4 mm long
                       Back to 36
Austrostipa verticillata

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET