 Australopyrum Photographer Judy West (CANB) |
 Australopyrum pectinatumCANB345595 |
 Australopyrum velutinum |
 Distribution of species |
Genomic constitution
W, by definition. Only diploids are known.
Distinguishing features
Perennial plants with solitary spikelets. Spikelets usually strongly divergent to reflexed, several times longer than the adjacent internodes. Glumes not keeled from the base.
Description
Plants perennial, loosely tufted. Culms 10-70 cm tall; lowest internode 0.5-2.2 mm thick.
Leaf blades 0.5-3.5 mm wide, flat to loosely involute.
Inflorescence spikelike, 1.5-13 cm long; rachis tough, usually prolonged beyond the base of the distal spikelet up to 3.5 mm; lowest internode 3-12 mm long; middle internodes 2-7 mm long; disarticulation below the glumes.
Spikelets solitary, tangential to the rachis, 7.5-19 mm long, with 3-9 florets, not pedicellate or on pedicels to 1 mm long, tangential to and usually strongly divergent or reflexed from the rachis, sometimes ascending.
Glumes 5-9 mm long, stiff, narrowly lanceolate, to awnlike.
Lemmas 4.8-11 mm long, awned, awns to 4 mm, straight. Paleas from 3/4 as long as to equaling the lemmas, keel veins with widely spaced long, coarse teeth, often extending beyond the intercostal region, converging to a narrow tip, the keel veins often extending beyond the intercostal region. Lodicules ??. Anthers 1-6 mm long.
Size
There are five species, three native to Australia, one to New Zealand, and one to New Guinea.
Distribution
Australasian - one being native to New Guinea, three to Australia, and one to New Zealand.
Alternative interpretations
Australopyrum has been a well accepted genus since Á. Löve first raised it to generic rank in 1984. It was first recognized as a taxon by Tsvelev who, in 1973, proposed it be recognized as Agropyron sect. Australopyrum.
Type species
Australopyrum pectinatum (Labill.) Á. Löve
Known problems
There are no known problems concerning Australopyrum
Species
References
Connor, H.E. 1994. Indigenous New Zealand Triticeae: Gramineae. New Zealand Journal of Botany 32: 125-154.
Edgar, E.. and H.E. Connor. 2000. Flora of New Zealand, volume 5. Gramineae. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, New Zealand.
Jacobs, S.W.L., R.D.B. Whalley, and D.J.B. Wheeler. 2009. Grasses of New South Wales. Ed. 4. University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Autralia.