240 
Telopea 9(2): 2001 
of Esperance on Eyre Hwy, 11 Sep 1966, Briggs 418 6 (NSW, PERTH), 419 9 (NSW); Lucky Bay, 
Cape Le Grand Natl Park, 10 Sep 1966, Briggs 400 9 (NSW, MEL, PERTH). 
7. Desmocladus elongatus B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, sp. nov. 
A D. fasciculatus et D. castaneus combinatione characterum sequentium distinguitur: 
culmi (18-)25-40 cm longi; ramuli 5-9 cm longi; ramuli floriferi plantarum 
feminearum ramulos steriles aequantes. A D. fasciculatus etiam habitu caespitoso, 
intemodiis superioribus intemodia inferioria aequantia distinguitur. 
Type: Western Australia: Coomallo picnic area 24 km NNW of Badgingarra, opposite 
junction Brand Hwy and Jurien Rd (33°13'30"S 115°23’30"E), 29 Sep 1984, B.G. Briggs 
7481 & L.A.S. Johnson 6 (holo NSW; iso AD, CANB, MEL, PERTH, RSA). 
Caespitose, often with some development of short densely intertwined horizontal 
rhizomes to 2.5 cm long, c. 3 mm diam. Culms unbranched but with clusters of 5-8 
branchlets at most nodes, erect, terete to semi-terete, often longitudinally furrowed, 
minutely tuberculate, sparsely villous, to 40 cm tall, 1.0-1.7 mm diam., internodes 6-9; 
branchlets straight, 5-9 cm long, laterally flattened and rectangular in cross section. 
Basal sheaths short, pale brown, to 15 mm long. Culm sheaths broad obovate, 7-18 mm 
long, sparsely villous; lamina erect, 2-7 mm long. Male spikelets borne singly, terminal 
on branchlets, elliptic, 7.0-9.5 mm long, 14-20-flowered; glumes 14-21, ovate- 
lanceolate, 2.S-4.5 mm long, membranous, glabrous, acute, mucro 0.6-1.5 mm long. 
Female spikelets borne singly, terminal on branchlets as long in fruiting stage as sterile 
branchlets, ellipsoid, 8.0—9.3 mm long, 1-flowered; glumes 4 or 5, ovate-lanceolate, 
acute, 3.5-7.0 mm long, dark brown, glabrous, mucro to 1.0 mm long; the uppermost 
glume reduced, lanceolate. Male flowers: tepals 5, linear-lanceolate, ± equal in length, 
2.7-4.2 mm long, acute; anthers 1.3-1.9 mm long. Female flowers: tepals (0-l-)2(-3), 
narrow linear, 2.0-4.5 mm long. Nut oblong, c. 2 mm long, brown with pale lateral 
lines, stipitate, the style base persistent as a conical beak. (Fig. 6d-6g). 
The epithet is from the Latin elongatus, referring to the culms and branchlets which are 
longer than in related species. 
Distribution: occurs from north of Eneabba to Cataby in the west of Western 
Australia. Locally frequent on deep sand over laterite, in heath, mostly in well-drained 
sites. Regenerates by seed after fire (Meney, Pate & Hickman 1999) but seed viability 
declines rapidly with time (Meney, Dixon & Pate 1999). 
Distinguished from D. fasciculatus (Figs 5b, 6a) and D. castaneus (Figs 5a, 6b, 6c) by the 
long culms (18-)25-40 cm tall, branchlets 5-9 cm long and few (5-8) at each node, 
female spikelets on branchlets as long in fruiting stage as sterile branchlets. 
Distinguished from D. fasciculatus also by the tufted habit and uniform length of 
internodes. D. fasciculatus has culms mostly 8-20 cm long, branchlets 1-2.5 cm long 
and 14-19 at each node; the lowest intemode is more than twice as long as upper 
internodes. 
Conservation status: locally common, not considered to be at risk. It received the 
conservation code 2KC (referred to as 'Loxocarya elongata ms.') of Briggs and Leigh 
(1996), but it is more widespread than originally known. D. elongatus was also referred 
to as 'Loxocarya sp. C' by Rye (1987). 
Selected specimens examined: Western Australia: Irwin: 12 km N of Eneabba, 27 Oct 1981, Newby 
9403 6 (PERTH); Eneabba, 28 Aug 1984, Bates 3860 6, 9 (PERTH); Coomallo Picnic area (details 
as for type) Briggs 7483 & Johnson 9 (NSW, A, CANB, K, L, MO, PE, PERTH, PRE, RSA); 
Boothendarra Rd N of Badgingarra 7 Nov 1988, Griffin 5465 6 (PERTH); 4 km N of Old 
Badgingarra, Winjardie Rd 4 km N of junction with North West Rd, 29 Sep 1984, Briggs 7489 & 
Johnson 9 (NSW, CANB, K, MO, NBG, PERTH); 5.6 km E of Brand Hwy along Mullering Rd, 2 Jul 
1992, Cranfield 8294 & Spencer 6 (PERTH); c. 100 km NNW of Gingin, 2 Sep 1970, Govern 3166 & 
Aplin 6 (NSW, AD, K, PERTH). 
