Common name: False Hairgrass
Pentaschistis airoides (Nees) Stapf APNI* 
Description: Slender tufted annual to 0.3 m high.
Leaves with ligule a ciliate rim with hairs < 0.25 mm long; blade flat, to 1.5 mm wide, pilose with hairs < 0.5 mm long, often with scattered tubercles towards sheath.
Inflorescence open, 2.5–5 cm long, 2–5 cm wide; rachis slender, smooth, glabrous. Spikelets c. 3 mm long (excluding awn), c. 1 mm wide, pedicels 2–9 mm long, florets 2; rachilla extended as a sterile projection to 1.5 mm long. Glumes 2.5–3 mm long, acute, awnless, 1–3-nerved, glabrous. Lemmas 1.8–2 mm long (excluding awn), glabrous; 2-lobed, lobes slender, awn-like, straight, c. 2 mm long; awn in the sinus with column twisted, c. 2.5 mm long, bristle geniculate and curved, c. 3 mm long; callus with hairs c. 0.25 mm long. Palea as long as lemma.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Occasional in pasture and disturbed woodland. Native of Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Vic. *W.A. *S.A.
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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