Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum
(Willd.) Spenn. False Oat-grassSlender, tufted perennial to 150 cm high, nodes usually glabrous; roots yellowish. Leaves glabrous or with scattered hairs; blade to 40 cm long and 10 mm wide; ligule truncate, membranous, 1–3 mm long. Inflorescence a slender, erect or drooping panicle; lower glume 1-nerved, c. 5–6 mm long, upper glume 3-nerved, 8–10 mm long, shorter than or equal to lemmas; lemmas subequal, 7-nerved, 8–10 mm long, firmer than glumes, glabrous or with scattered hairs, the lower one with awn 10–20 mm, the upper quite awnless, or with a subapical bristle, or rarely, with a geniculate awn to 10 mm long attached above midway; palea slightly shorter than lemma. Flowers Nov.–Feb.
GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Naturalised in all states except NT. An occasional weed mainly of fertile, cultivated soils in higher-rainfall areas of the State.
All Victorian occurrences of this species supported by herbarium specimens at MEL are referable to Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum, which is distinguished from the nominate variety in having hairy nodes and the basal internodes swollen and corm-like. These swellings separate readily on disturbance and are able to regenerate anew, making the grass difficult to eradicate. The nominate subspecies (including a striking variegated form) was formerly grown for ornament but does not appear to have become naturalised.
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.
Spinning
