Briggs and Johnson, Desmocladus (Restionaceae) 
231 
MO); 10 km W of Mogumber on Regans Ford Rd, 2 Oct 1984, Briggs 7991 & Johnson 8 (NSW, CANB, 
L, NBG, PERTH), 7793 $ (NSW, PERTH, PRE); NNW of Gin Gin (details as for type), Briggs 7443 
& Johnson 8 (NSW, K, MEL, PERTH, PRE, RSA), 7437 9 (NSW, CANB, MO, K, NBG, PERTH), 
7444 9 (AD, CANB, K, MEL, PERTH, PRE, RSA). Avon: 2 miles [c. 3 km] SW of Cunderdin, 27 Sep 
1970, Salasoo 4370 8 (NSW); Youndegin, 1890, Eaton 8 (MEL). 
2. Desmocladus quiricanus B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, sp. nov. 
A D. myriocladus et D. lateriticus combinatione characterum sequentium distinguitur: 
spiculae masculinae breves (2-4 mm longae), obovoideae, glumis numerosis (10-17); 
vaginae culmorum brunneae vel ferrugineae, sine pilis longis albis; flores femineae 
tepalis 1-3. 
Type: Western Australia: 19 km N of Ongerup on road to Lake Grace (33°47'S 
118°29'E), 11 Oct 1984, B.G. Briggs 7921b & L.A.S. Johnson 9 (holo NSW; iso A, CANB, 
K, L, MO, PE, PERTH, PRE, RSA) 
Caespitose. Culms repeatedly branched, sinuous, sparsely to usually densely shortly 
villous and ± grey, to 30 cm tall, 0.5-1.5 mm diam., intemodes numerous. Basal 
sheaths short, 5-20 mm long. Culm sheaths appressed, 4—9 mm long, glabrous or 
villous, dark red-brown, apex truncate to obtuse; lamina erect or reflexed, 2.5-4 mm 
long. Male spikelets solitary or rarely in pairs, ovoid to clavate, 2.0-4.0 mm long; 
10-15-flowered; glumes 10-17, ovate, acute, 1.5-2.3 mm long, brown, margins usually 
villous, abaxial surface often sparsely villous, mucro to 0.8 mm long. Female spikelets 
borne singly, ellipsoid, 5.0-8.0 mm long, 1-flowered; glumes 4 or 5, ovate, acute, 
1.5-4.8 mm long, light to dark brown, villous toward the apex. Male flowers: tepals 5, 
hyaline, acute, + equal in length, 1.5-2.2 mm long; outer tepals lanceolate, acuminate, 
light brown; 2 inner tepals filiform and 1 lanceolate; anthers 0.9-1.2 mm long. Female 
flowers with 1-3 linear tepals, 3.7-5.0 mm long. Nut ellipsoid, c. 1.5 mm long, smooth, 
brown with pale lateral lines, stipitate, the style base persistent as a short apical beak. 
(Fig. Id—If). 
The epithet commemorates Anna-Louise Quirico (Mrs Garvan), who gave expert 
technical assistance in studies of Restionaceae and who first recognised the 
distinctiveness of this species. 
Distribution: occurs in southern inland Western Australia from south of Williams 
eastwards to south of Kulin, Lake Grace, Ongerup and to north of Esperance. Locally 
rare to abundant on clay or sandy-clay, often subsaline; in poorly drained and 
seasonally moist depressions in mallee woodland with shrubs or heath. Killed by fire 
(Meney, Pate & Hickman 1999). 
Conservation status: reasonably widespread and sometimes locally common, but r i a 
region where native vegetation has been much depleted. 
Distinguished from D. myriocladus (Fig. la-lc) and D. lateriticus (Fig. lg-lj) by the 
short broad obovoid male spikelets, 2-4 mm long, with more numerous (10-17) 
glumes. Also distinguished from D. myriocladus by the mostly dark brown or red- 
brown sheaths and glumes, and from D. lateriticus by the lack of long, spreading white 
hairs fringing the apical margin of culm sheaths, presence of tepals in the female 
flowers and shorter broader nuts. 
Selected specimens examined: Western Australia: Darling: 34 miles [54 km] S of Williams, 28 Jul 
1953, Royce 4209 9 (PERTH), 4210 8 (PERTH); Beaufort R. Reserve, Apr 1992, Meney & Pate 8 
(NSW 254913). Roe: c. 12 km SE of Kulin on road to Tarin Rock, 12 Oct 1984, Briggs 7941 & Johnson 
8 (NSW, CANB, MEL, PERTH), 7942 9 (NSW, CANB, NBG, PERTH, RSA); Lake Grace, c. 19 km 
E along road to Lake King, just W of Pungerup Rd, 28 Sep 1992, Spjut & Smith 12495 8 (PERTH); 
19 km N of Ongerup (details as for type) 8 (MEL, NBG, PERTH); Ongerup, at turn-off to town 
from Gnowangerup to Jerramungup road, 11 Oct 1984, Briggs 7918 & Johnson 8 (NSW, AD, 
