Amphipogon strictus
R.Br. Grey-beard GrassPerennial, producing culms at close intervals from the horizontal rhizome; culms erect, 20–40 cm high, glabrous. Leaves glabrous or sparsely ciliate; blade closely folded, acute or obtuse at apex, mostly 1.5–8 cm long and c. 1 mm diam.; ligule densely ciliate, 0.5–1 mm long. Inflorescence to 2 cm long, rarely more; glumes unequal, ovate, 4–7 mm long, the upper exceeding the lower by 1–2 mm, papery, with short, scattered, tubercle-based hairs and a few longer cilia in the upper part; lemma 10–12 mm long (including awns), the body virtually smooth, half as long as the awns or slightly less, 3-nerved, with 2 lines of silky hairs between the mid and lateral nerves; awns densely ciliate, spreading at maturity; margin of lemma membranous, produced at each side into a deciduous wing about half as long as awns. Flowers Oct.–Apr.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, OtR, Strz. Also WA, SA, Qld, NSW. Scattered through (mainly) southern Victoria, occurring on sandy or gravelly, often seasonally wet soils, usually associated with heathland or woodland.
Previously 4 varieties of A. strictus were recognised but these are now included in a more broadly circumscribed species.
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
