Bristly Wallaby-grass - native (Rytidosperma setaceum)

Native. Perennial. C3.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Alternative names: Danthonia setacea, Austrodanthonia setacea, Small-flowered Wallaby-grass.

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

identification:

• the flower cluster is compact
• the glumes longer than the lemmas
• the lemmas are forked into two lobes, with an awn rising bewteen the lobes
• there are three rows of hairs on the back of the lemma.
• the lemma body is 2-3mm long.
• the leaves narrow and rolled
• the ligules are dense rows of hairs 0.5mm long, with longer hairs at the side.

The small lemmas are distinctive; the lemmas are smaller than in other wallaby grases. The distance from the bottom of the basal tip to the base of the central awn is less than 3mmm (and usually only about 2mm).

It is a variable grass, and the flower clusters may have many or few flowers. It is a fairly short grass (typically 30-40cm high).

Sometimes there may be scattered hairs on the back of the lemma, or one of the rows may be incomplete.

seta: bristle; acea resemblance.