Common name: Purple Wiregrass
Aristida ramosa R.Br. APNI* Description: Tussocky perennial to 1.2 m high; culms stiff, terete or sometimes compressed, usually branched and fastigiate, often tuberculate.
Leaves with sheath often tuberculate; ligule 0.5–1 mm long; blade flattened in the lower part or convolute or conduplicate, 1–3 mm wide, long-scabrous above, often pilose near the ligule.
Panicle spike-like to rather loose, 8–30 cm long, branches loosely appressed to the axis. Glumes lanceolate, equal or unequal, 4–10 mm long, lower acute or abruptly acuminate, upper obtuse or subacute. Lemma linear to elliptic, 8–12 mm long, pallid or purple; awns filiform, divergent to divaricate, straight or sometimes recurved, to 18 mm long.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in woodland on poor soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings Taxon concept:
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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