Tufted, somewhat malodorous perennial, culms weakly ascending to erect, to 1 m high. Leaves smooth and glabrous or with a few fine tubercle-based hairs along the margins; blade flat or inrolled, to 20 cm long and 4 mm wide. Inflorescence a sparse oblong to narrowly pyramidal panicle, to 30 cm long and 10 cm wide, lower branches single or rarely opposite; pedicels about as long as spikelets, with a yellowish glandular band shortly below the spikelet. Spikelet 6–12-flowered, 3–12 mm long and 1–2 mm wide, green or more often tinged purplish-grey; glumes acute, 0.8–2 mm long, the lower usually shorter than upper by c 0.5 mm; lemma 1.5–2 mm long, obtuse to acute; palea slightly shorter than lemma; anthers 0.3–0.8 mm long. Flowers Jan.–Apr.
GipP, CVU, NIS, EGL, HSF. Also Qld, NSW. Rare, known in Victoria from Eucalyptus tereticornis forest remnants near Stratford and Briagolong in Gippsland where indigenous, and formerly from Themeda triandra remnant grassland near the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, where doubtfully native and not noted there in recent years.
Source:
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.
