Australopyrum retrofractum (Vickery) A.Löve APNI* Synonyms: Agropyron retrofractum Vickery APNI*
Description: Loosely tufted perennial to 0.6 m high, erect or ascending and ± geniculate towards the base.
Leaves with sheath pubescent or puberulent; ligule truncate, membranous, c. 0.2 mm long, ciliate or entire; blade 1–3 mm wide, stiff, suberect, flat or inrolled, strongly ribbed, ± scabrid-pubescent on upper surface, margins scabrid.
Spike erect, dense, c. 1.5–6 cm long, 7–15 mm wide. Spikelets stiff, mostly 6–8-flowered, sessile, in 2 rows on opposite sides of the rachis and ± appressed to it. Glumes persistent, subequal, 5–7.5 mm long including short pungent awns < 1 mm long. Lemmas lanceolate, 8–10 mm long with awn-like apex, glabrous or minutely pubescent. Palea ciliate.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows at high elevations in high alpine herbfields and sod tussock grassland; south from Queanbeyan.
NSW subdivisions: ST, CWS
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
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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