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Telopea 9(2): 2001 
Selected specimens examined: Western Australia: Irwin: Lake Indoon Rd 1 km W of Brand Hwy, 
Sep 1990, Meney 3 (KPBG); Eneabba-Carnamah Rd, E of Rose Rd, E of Eneabba, 3 Dec 1992, Griffin 
8150 2 (PERTH); W of Eneabba on Leeman Road, c. 5 km from Brand Hwy, near Road 8, Indoon, 
7 Sep 1990, Briggs 8615, Johnson, Meney, Pate & Linder 6 (NSW, BOL, CANB, K), 8616 9 (BOL, 
NSW); 3 km N of New Badgingarra (details as for type), Briggs 6321 9 (NSW, PERTH); 5 km S of 
New Badgingarra, 9 Sep 1979, Keighcry 2521 6 (PERTH). Eyre: 2.9 km NE of Young R. on Red Gum 
Pass Rd, Stirling Range Natl Park, 30 Oct 1988, Briggs 8476a & Johnson 3 (NSW), 8476b 9 (NSW); 
S of Stirlings, Chessell & McComb 128, Aug 1964 6 (PERTH). Roe: c. 20 miles (32 km) SE of Ongerup, 
13 Sep 1966, Briggs 491 6 (NSW, PERTH), 490 9 (NSW, K, MEL, NBG); Chillinup road, 14.4 km 
SW of Rams Head, 11 Oct 1984, Briggs 7895 & Johnson 3 (NSW, PERTH), 7896 9 (NSW, PERTH, 
MEL); 8 km NNW of Mt Drummond, 13 Nov 1986, Newby 11395 9 (PERTH, NSW). 
4. Desmocladus semiplanus B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, sp. nov. 
Culmi concavo-convexi, internodiis 4-6, ramulis l-3(-4) per nodum instructis; 
vaginae culmorum brurtneae; ramuli plantarum feminearum valde recurvati. 
Type: Western Australia: 22.8 km E of Brand Hwy on Green Head-Coorow Road, 
Alexander Morrison National Park (30°01'S 115°20'E), 30 Sep 1984, B.G. Briggs 7735 & 
L.A.S. Johnson 6 (holo NSW; iso AD, CANB, MEL, PERTH, RSA). 
Caespitose, forming small tussocks. Culms erect, concavo-convex, tuberculate, 
glabrous to densely pubescent with short hairs, to 22 cm tall, 0.8-1.5 mm diam., 
intemodes 4-6; branchlets 1—3(—4) at most nodes, straight to flexuose, culm-like, 
floriferous, 4-6 cm long. Basal sheaths short, 4-12 mm long. Culm sheaths appressed, 
mostly red-brown or dark brown, 3.5-7.5 mm long, truncate, glabrous apart from an 
apical fringe of white cilia; lamina erect, c. 0.5-2.8 mm long. Male spikelets borne 
singly, terminal on branchlets, ovoid, 5.0-8.0 mm long, 10-14-flowered; glumes 10-14, 
ovate-lanceolate, 4.0-6.0 mm long, pale brown, hard, acute, apical margin villous, 
mucro 0.9-1.5 mm long. Female spikelets borne singly, terminal on branchlets, 
ellipsoid, c. 4-5 mm long, 1-flowered; glumes 4-6, ovate, acute, 2.3-4.0 mm long, 
reddish brown to pale brown, apical margin ciliate, mucro to 1.2 mm long. Male 
flowers: tepals 2-5, oblanceolate, + equal in length or inner tepals slightly shorter, 
3.2-5.3 mm long; lower flowers frequently with more tepals than upper flowers; 
anthers 1.2-1.7 mm long. Female flowers lacking tepals. Nut not seen. (Fig. 3d-3g). 
The epithet is from the Latin semi-, half, and planus, flat, referring to the branchlets that 
are flattened only on the adaxial surface. 
Distribution: occurs in Western Australia from south of Mingenew to Badgingarra. 
Locally occasional to frequent on deep sand, sometimes over laterite, in heath and 
woodland; in moderately low rainfall regions; sites seasonally moist. Regenerates by 
seed after fire (Meney, Pate & Hickman 1999). 
Distinguished among the species of Desmocladus by the mostly concavo-convex culms 
that have 4-6 intemodes and l-3(-4) branches at most nodes, and by the dark brown 
culm sheaths; resembling D. bifortnis in that the branchlets are more strongly recurved 
on female plants. 
Conservation status: not considered to be at risk. 
Selected specimens examined: Western Australia: Irwin: 30 km SSW of Mingenew, Moorlaby Rd 
20 km S of Midlands Rd, 30 Sep 1984, Briggs 7500 & Johnson 9 (NSW, AD, CANB, MEL, PERTH, 
RSA), 7504 3 (NSW, A, AD, CANB, K, L, MEL, MO, PE, PERTH, RSA); Tathra National Park, Krauss 
150 & Howitt, 22 Apr 1989 9 (NSW, CANB, K, PERTH); Alexander Morrison National Park 
(details as for type), Briggs 7736a & Johnson 9 (NSW); Arrowsmith R., Oct 1985, Pignatti 550 6 (RO, 
NSW); 8 km N of Eneabba, 14 Aug 1976, Wittwer 1822 6 (PERTH, NSW); 7 km W of Eneabba, 
9 Sep 1979, Keighery 2564 3 (PERTH); Eneabba, 1 Sep 1979, Haegi 1921 & Powell 3 (NSW, AD, 
CANB, PERTH, PRE, RSA); Badgingarra, 9 Aug 1981, Greuter 17916 3 (B, NSW). 
