Elionurus citreus (R.Br.) Munro & Benth. APNI* Synonyms: Elyonurus citreus (R.Br.) Munro ex Benth. APNI*
Description: Erect perennials with slender culms to 1 m tall that branch at the upper nodes when flowering.
Sheaths striate, glabrous; ligule a rim of short hairs; blade involute or flat, narrowly linear, absent from the upper sheaths, to 40 cm long, to c. 1 mm wide.
Inflorescence a spike-like raceme 3–12 cm long, only partly exserted from the leaf-sheath. Sessile spikelets 10–12 mm long with 2 florets, the lower sterile, reduced to a lemma. Glumes not alike, the lower glume apex produced into 2 lanceolate lobes, as long as, or longer than the body of the glume, back more or less hairy, margins ciliate: upper glume shorter than the lower. Lemmas smaller than spikelet. Pedicillate spikelets reduced to 2 dissimilar glumes c. 7 mm long, the lower usually standing out from the spikelet and fringed along the keel with stiff white hairs, the upper hairless.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually on sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. N.T.
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Endangered
The leaves of this species produce a lemon-scented oil.
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B. (2008). Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition. The University of New England.
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.
|
