Hill Wallaby-grass - native - (Rytidosperma erianthum)

Native. Perennial. C3.

Hill Wallaby-grass is a widespread and common grass. It grows in grasslands and forests.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Alternative names: Danthonia eriantha, Austrodanthonia eriantha.

Identification:

• the flower cluster is not widely spreading, and typically is few flowered
• the glumes are longer than the lemmas
• the lemmas are forked into two lobes, with an awn rising between the lobes
• the lemma is triangular in shape, with three complete rows of hairs on the back; the lemma between the hairs is shiny
• the leaves are usually rolled
• the ligules are rows of hairs 0.5-0.7mm long; the hairs longer at the edges.

The common name is not very suitable - it often grows in flat places. The length of the lemma (from the bottom tip to the base of the central awn) is 3.5mm to 4mm. It is a fairly short grass (typically 20-30cm high) and few flowered. The buds are green with purple tonings (as in most wallaby grasses).

Lobed Wallaby-grass lemmas are also broadly triangular. It differs in that the sides of the lemmas have a more or less triangular lobe.

erion: wool; anthos: flower, referring to the woolly lemmas.