Synonyms: Whalleya APNI*
Description: Rhizomatous, stolonifereous or tufted perennials.
Culms branched or unbranched. Sheaths hairy or glabrous; ligule membranous, erose or entire; auricles ±; blade flat or involute, glabrous, scabrous.
Inflorescence open, fully exserted at maturity, with an elongated primary axis; primary branches spreading, whorled, scattered or both; axils hairy or glabrous; secondary branches spreading, or the solitary spikelets appressed, scattered, 1–20 on a branch. Spikelets dorsiventrally compressed; florets 2, lower sterile, upper floret bisexual; Lower glume 60–90% spikelet length, 3–7-nerved; upper glume as long as the spikelet, 7–9-nerved. Lower lemma 7–9-nerved, acuminate or acute; palea minute or absent. Fertile lemma indurate, rounded on the back, obscurely nerved, apiculate or mucronate; palea indurate, enclosed at its apex by the lemma,apex notched, with an apical depression.
Distribution and occurrence: A genus of 3 species from Australia, the species formerly were included in Homopholis and Panicum.
Named after R.D.B. (Wal) Whalley. Armidale
Text by S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B. Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Walwhalleya proluta,
Walwhalleya pungens,
Walwhalleya subxerophila
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