74 GRAMINEAE. 47. Pappophorum. 



47. PAPPOPHORUM, Schreb. 

 (Greek for " pappus -bearing " : alluding to the conspicuous feathery pappus.) 

 Spikelets paniculate, with 1 bisexual flower and 1 or more male or rudimentary flowers 

 above it ; outer glumes 2, subequal, membranous, many -nerved, shorter than the flowers ; 

 flowering glume broad, 9-nerved and with 9 plumose awns. Erect perennials. 



Outer glumes 5-9-nerved P. nigricans 1. 



Outer glumes 9-21-nerved P. avenaceum 2. 



1. P. nigricans,, R. Br. Black Heads. Leaves subulate, rather stiff ; panicle oblong- 

 cylindrical, dense, 1-10 cm. long, light or lead-colored ; outer glumes 3-5 mm. long, 5-9- 

 nerved ; awns spreading and longer than the short entire basal part of the flowering glume. 



Throughout the State. Aug. -Jan. 



2. P. avenaceum, Lindl. Resembles the preceding, but the panicles looser, the outer 

 glumes 5-7 mm. long, 9-21-nerved. 



Far North. July-Jan. 



48. TRIRAPHIS, R. Br. 



(Greek treis. three ; rhaphis, a needle : the flowering glumes are 3-awned.) 

 Spikelets several-flowered, paniculate, the terminal glume usually male or empty ; 

 outer glumes 2, subequal, acute, shorter than the flowers ; flowering glume narrow, 

 3-nerved, the nerves leading to 3 narrow lobes which taper into straight slender awns ; 

 ligule of hairs. Perennials. 



Panicle dense ; leaves soft T. mollis 1. 



Panicle loose ; leaves rigid and pungent T. bromoides 2. 



1. T. mollis, R. Br. Erect, glabrous ; leaves narrow, flat ; panicle dense, soft, narrow, 

 often purplish, 4-16 cm. long ; outer glumes membranous, 1-nerved, 3-6 mm. long, much 

 shorter than the flowers ; flowering glume ciliate on the marginal nerves, the central awn 

 rising between 2 narrow teeth and the other 2 awns shorter and lateral. 



Far North ; River Murray. Aug. -Feb. 



2. T. bromoides, F. v. M. A glabrous " porcupine grass " ; leaves subulate, rigid, 

 pungent, 8-15 cm. long ; panicle loose but narrow, 10-20 cm. long, on a long stem ; outer 

 glumes 13-16 mm. long ; awns of flowering glume 10-12 mm. long, dilated towards base. 



Everard Range. 



49. ELYTROPHORUS, Beauv. 



(Greek elytron, a sheath ; phoros, bearing : alluding to the scarious glumes.) 

 1. E. articulatus, Beauv. Glabrous annual, with flat leaves ; spikelets small, few- 

 flowered, sessile in globular clusters forming a rather long, often interrupted spike ; outer 

 glumes 2, narrow, pointed ; flowering glume 3-nerved, with 3 minute awns ; palea folded. 

 Recorded by Bentham for " South Australia. Murray River, F. Mueller ; Charlotte 

 Waters, Central Australia, Giles,'''' but has not been found since. 



50. TRIODIA, R. Br. 



(Greek treis, three ; odous, a tooth : the flowering glume is divided into 3 obtuse or 



acute teeth.) 

 Spikelets several-flowered, compressed laterally, paniculate ; outer glumes 2, stiff, 

 keeled, shorter than the flowers ; flowering glume stiff, rounded on back, the nerves 

 arranged in 3 sets of 3 nerves each, with 3 lobes or with 2 lobes and a central mucro ; 

 ligule a ring of hairs. Leaves ending in needle-like points (in all our species) ; hence 

 these plants are called " porcupine grasses," or (wrongly) " spinifex." Perennials. 

 A. Flowering glume divided to the middle into 3 lobes .... T. pungens 1. 

 A. Flowering glume with 2 lateral lobes and a central mucro. 

 B. Leaves and outer glumes glabrous. 



Flowering glume with a mucro shorter than the 



obtuse lobes T irritans 2. 



Flowering glume with a mucro longer than the acute 



lobes T. aristata 3. 



B. Leaves and outer glumes woolly T. lanata 4. 



1. T. pungens, R. Br. A tussock grass, somewhat glutinous ; leaves subulate, rigid, 

 spreading, pungent-pointed, the sheaths sometimes woolly ; panicle narrow, 8-15 cm. 

 long ; spikelets on slender pedicels, 8-12 mm. long ; outer glumes 6-8 mm. long, glabrous, 

 5-7-nerved ; flowering glume purplish, cut halfway into 3 broad obtuse 3-nerved lobes, 

 silky-villous towards base. 



Northern part of Flinders Range and Far North from Cooper's Creek to West Aus- 

 tralian boundary. June-Dec. 



