Common name: Three-awn Wanderrie Grass
Eriachne aristidea F.Muell. APNI* 
Description: Densely tufted annual or short-lived perennial to 0.5 m high.
Leaves with sheath tight around culm, becoming loose with age, shorter than internode, striate; ligule a row of cilia 1 mm long, with rigid tubercle-based hairs 2–3 mm long scattered amongst the cilia; blade to 6 mm wide, flat, folded or rolled when dry, upper surface with sparse tubercle-based hairs, lower surface with sparse long, soft hairs, ribbed.
Inflorescence paniculate, open, 4–9 cm long; rachis pilose. Spikelets of 2 florets. Glumes aristate, equal, 6–10 mm long, with sparse tubercle-based hairs c. 1 mm long. Lemmas rounded on back, covered in silky hairs; awn terminal, straight, 6–10 mm long. Palea 2-fid, covered in silky hairs.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows on sandy soils, usually on inland sand dunes.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & K. L. McClay
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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