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Telopea 9(2): 2001 
Conservation status: known from only a very few plants in a single valley swamp, but 
poorly known (Meney, Pate, Dixon, Briggs, & Johnson 1999). In the CALM 
conservation categories a classification of vulnerable (P2) applies, at least until further 
study and monitoring is done. It occurs in a habitat of restricted extent but in an area 
where natural vegetation has been retained over a considerable region. 
Specimens examined: Western Australia: Spearwood Creek, 5 Feb 1990, McCutcheon 2200 9 
(PERTH); Spearwood Creek, (details as for type), McFarlcine 2594, 2599 <5 , 2591 9 & Amiels 
(PERTH, MJP, NSW), 2 598 (PERTH); Spearwood Swamp, Denny Rd. 9 km W of Sues Rd., 28 Aug 
1998, Briggs 9439 6 (NSW, CANB, MEL, PERTH), 9438 9 (NSW, PERTH). 
Tremulina B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson 
As with Platychorda, Tremulina was established (Briggs & Johnson 1998) to 
accommodate a species that had originally been named within Restio, and another 
related to it but unnamed. Tremulina is distinguished by the following combination of 
features: tepals 5 or 6, ovary loculi 2, style branches 2, culm chlorenchyma lacking 
pillar cells but interrupted by sclerenchyma girders, seeds with a distinctive regular 
pattern of flat rectangular cells. It is typified by T. tremula (R. Br.) Briggs & Johnson, 
which occurs in seasonally wet sites from Perth to Albany. T. cracens, described below, 
is limited to part of the same region. 
Tremulina cracens B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, sp. nov. 
A Tremulina tremula combinatione characterum sequentium distinguitur: culmi 
graciliores, 0.8-1.0 mm diametro; vaginae culmorum breviores, 10-30 mm longae, 
laminis 2-3 mm longis; spiculae masculinae 3.5-5 mm longae; spiculae femineae 2-4.5 mm 
longae. 
Type: Western Australia: Thomson Road c. 8 km NW of Mt Frankland, c. 20 km N of 
Walpole, 20 Nov 1977, B.G. Briggs 6931b 9 (holo NSW; iso PERTH). 
Caespitose, forming slender tussocks. Base with short (to 1 cm), pale brown, scarious 
scales partly covering a pale brown woolly pubescence. Culms erect, straight, slender, 
terete to slightly compressed, unbranched and with 2-4 intemodes below the 
inflorescence, 20-60 cm long, 0.8-1.0 mm diam., striate, green, glabrous, 4-10 cm long. 
Culm sheaths closely appressed, 7-12 mm long, green, striate; apex truncate with a 
linear, erect or slightly incurved lamina, 2-3 mm long; apical margin narrowly 
membranous, shortly ciliate. Inflorescence: 1-6 filiform branches arising at each upper 
culm node; branches to 3.5 cm long but often much shorter, often with several 
intemodes, occasionally branched, with a single terminal spikelet or both axillary and 
terminal spikelets. Spikelets globose to ovoid; glumes lanceolate-ovate, scarious, 
glossy, dull tan-brown, acute, shortly ciliate, 2.0-2.5 mm long; with or without a small 
mucro. Male spikelets 3.5-5.0 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, with 1-4 sterile lower glumes 
and 6-25 fertile upper glumes. Female spikelets 2-4.5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; 1-2- 
flowered, with up to 4 sterile lower glumes. Flowers: tepals 6, linear-lanceolate, acute, 
glossy, tan-brown, hyaline; 2 outer tepals keeled, with a few hairs along keel; inner 
tepals flat, slightly shorter, glabrous. Male flowers: tepals 1.8-2.3 mm long; stamens 3; 
filaments c. 2.0 mm long; anthers c. 1 mm long, exserted; pistillode minute or absent. 
Female flowers: staminodes 3; styles 2, very shortly connate. Capsule smooth, brown, 
1.5-2 mm long. Seed ellipsoid, glossy, dark brown, c. 1.2 mm long. (Fig. 4f—j). 
The epithet is from the Lathi, cracens, slender, graceful; the plants are slender and 
graceful in comparison with the robust T. tremula. 
Distribution: occurs in Western Australia on the Scott River Plains from Augusta to 
south of Manjimup, Windy Harbour, and to near Walpole. Grows in sand or peat, 
seasonally inundated, near permanent watercourses. 
