Common name: Barley Mitchell Grass
Astrebla pectinata (Lindl.) F.Muell. ex Benth. APNI* 
Description: Compact tussocky annual or short-lived perennial to 1.2 m high, with a short rhizome.
Leaves with blade to 6 mm wide, bluish green, tuberculate-scabrous.
Inflorescence compact, partly enclosed by uppermost sheath when young, 3–13 cm long, 10–20 mm wide. Spikelets oblong-cuneate, c. 4-flowered, 10–17 mm long. Glumes ovate to lanceolate, acute, 6.5–13 mm long, lower 5–9-nerved, upper 7–16-nerved. Lemmas villous all over, 3-nerved, midlobe tapered into a slender bristle to 12 mm long; lateral lobes lanceolate, acute, 7–12 mm long, glabrous, rigid. Palea ovate, 4–6 mm long.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread on clay-loam flats and heavy self-mulching clays of inland areas.
NSW subdivisions: NWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Very palatable and good fodder.
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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