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Telopea 9(2): 2001 
5. Desmocladus austrinus B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, sp. nov. 
A D. flexuosus habitu caespitoso distinguitur. A D. virgatus combinatione characterum 
sequentium distinguitur: ramuli longiores et strictiores; spiculae masculinae 
plerumque solitariae; spiculae femineae breviores (5.5-7.7 mm longae), mucronibus 
glumarum brevioribus (ad 1.3 mm longis). 
Type: Western Australia: Junction of Chillinup Rd and Kojoneerup Rd, c. 12 km 
(direct) WNW of Wellstead, 13 Sep 1990, Briggs 8705, L. Johnson, J. Pate, 
K. Money & P. Linder 6 (holo NSW; iso BOL, KPBG, PERTH). 
Caespitose, forming few- or many-culmed tussocks. Culms erect, terete, smooth to 
finely striate, glabrous or pubescent with long hairs, to 70 cm tall, 0.5-1.5 mm diam., 
internodes numerous; branchlets numerous, 3-16 per node, flexuose and often 
recurved, slender, to 16 cm long, longer than the internodes so that the upper culm is 
largely obscured by branchlets, lower branchlets longer than upper. Basal sheaths 
short, to 10 mm long. Culm sheaths often reflexed, ovate to spathulate, 12-22 mm long, 
apex truncate; lamina 1.5-10 mm long. Male spikelets mostly borne singly, terminal or 
sessile and axillary on branchlets, ovoid, 4.0-6.0 mm long, 14-20-flowered; glumes 
14-24, narrow-elliptic, acuminate, glabrous, 1.3-2.3 mm long, mucro 0.3-1.3 mm long. 
Female spikelets borne singly, terminal or sessile and axillary on branchlets, narrow- 
ovoid, 5.5-7.7 mm long, 1-flowered; glumes 3-8, broadly ovate, acute, 2.3-5.5 mm 
long, brown, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely pilose, mucro to 1.3 mm long. Male 
flowers: tepals 5, scarious, narrow lanceolate, acuminate, + equal in length, 1.7-2.6 mm 
long; anthers 0.8-1.4 mm long. Female flowers: 1-5 tepals occasionally present. Nut 
ellipsoid, 2.5 mm long, smooth, brown with pale lateral lines, stipitate, the style base 
persistent as a short apical beak. (Fig. 4d). 
The epithet is from the Latin, austrinus, southern, referring to the species' occurrence 
in the south of Western Australia. 
Distribution: occurs in the south of Western Australia from near Albany and the 
Stirling Range east to Mt Ragged. Locally abundant in sand or peaty sand or over 
granite, quartzite or laterite; in heath, shrubland or with mallee eucalypts, near the 
coast and on ranges some distance inland. Regenerates by seed after fire. 
Conservation status: not at risk. 
Resembling D. flexuosus (Fig. 4e) and especially D. virgatus (Fig. 4a-4c), but differing 
from D. flexuosus in its tufted habit and from D. virgatus in the lateral branchlets longer 
and less tightly curled, male spikelets mostly borne singly, and female spikelets 5.5-7.7 mm 
long with glume mucros to 1.3 mm long. D. flexuosus occurs mainly on coastal dunes 
and headlands, on sand or limestone, from Jurien to Cape Leeuwin and east to 
Israelite Bay; it is distinctive among these species in its long horizontal or ascending 
rhizomes, often developing small clusters of erect or ascending culms at widely 
spaced intervals. D. virgatus ranges from Eneabba to Badgingarra and Toodyay, on 
sand, or sand with laterite, in inland rather than coastal sites; male spikelets are often 
2(-3) together; female spikelets 72-8.0 mm long, glume mucros to 2.2 mm long. 
Selected specimens examined: Western Australia: Darling: Two Peoples Bay, 8 Oct 1984, Brings 
7644 & Johnson $ (NSW, AD, CANB, MEL, PERTH, RSA). Eyre: 0.1 km E of Balicup Rd on Salt R. 
Rd, c. 20 km E of Cranbrook, 30 Oct 1988, Briggs 8488a & Johnson 6 (NSW, K, PERTH), 8488b 9 
(NSW, K, PERTH); 0.4 miles [0.6 km] from Red Gum Springs towards Cranbrook, Stirling Range 
Natl Park, 10 Oct 1968, Canning 6 (CANB, BRI, NSW); 12.3 km NNE of Young R. on Red Gum Pass 
Rd., 30 Oct 1988, Briggs 8481 & Johnson 8 (NSW, AD, CANB, K, L, MEL, MO, NY, PERTH); lower 
N slopes of Mt Hassell, 8 May 1979, Keighery 2301a 8 (KPBG, NSW), 2301b 9 (KPBG, NSW); 
junction of Chillinup Rd and Kojoneerup Rd, (details as for type) Briggs 8706 et at. 9 (NSW, BOL, 
KPBG, PERTH); 37 km W of Bremer Bay, 10 Oct 1984, Briggs 7840 & Johnson 8 (NSW, CANB^ 
PERTH, RSA); SW face of Middle Mt Barren, 17 Jul 1970, Royce 9033 8 (PERTH); summit of East 
