Common name: Feathertop Wiregrass
Aristida latifolia Domin APNI*
Description: Erect tussocky perennial, to c. 1 m high; culms rigid, usually simple or sparsely branched.
Leaves with sheath glabrous, scaberulous; ligule 0.5–1 mm long; blade flat or conduplicate, striate, 2–3.5 mm wide, long-scabrous on upper surface, usually coiled or curly, often glaucous.
Panicle usually spike-like, 12–45 cm long, branches sometimes spreading or drooping. Glumes narrow-ovate to oblong-ovate, unequal, long-acuminate, 9–15 mm long. Lemma linear-elliptic, 7–11 mm long, usually brownish with purple markings; column of 1–9 spirals, 3–7 mm long; awns filiform, stiffly divaricate, 12–50 mm long.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows on black heavy self-mulching clay soils.
NSW subdivisions: NWS, NWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 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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