Agrostis parviflora R.Br., Prodr. 170 (1810).

Vilfa parviflora (R.Br.) P.Beauv., Ess. Agrostogr. 16 (1812). T: Adventure Bay, Tas., Feb. 1792, Nelson; T: BM n.v.
A. intricata Nees, J. Bot. (Hooker) 2: 413 (1843). T: Van Diemens Land, Gunn 1011 p.p.; T: C.
A. scabra sensu Rodway, Tasman. Fl. 263 (1903) p.p., non Willd. (1797)

Illustrated in: J.D. Hooker, Fl. Tasman. 2: 158 (1860).

Vegetative form. Annual, erect or ascending, loosely caespitose. Leaves mostly basal. Culms to 40 cm high, very slender, 2 noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Mid-culm internodes slender, glabrous. Leaves non-auriculate. Basal leaf sheaths not keeled, terete, with the veins equally striate. Ligule 1-2 mm long, membranous, obtuse or truncate. Leaf blades occasionally flat or involute, filiform, 20-70 mm long, 0.25-1 mm wide; adaxially glabrous or adaxially scabrous; abaxially scabrous; with margins scabrous; convolute in bud.

Reproductive organization. Plants bisexual. Incomplete spikelets absent. Inflorescence of chasmogamous spikelets.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle (few flowered), green or purple, open, 2-7 mm wide, symmetrical (pyramidal), fully exserted. Peduncles glabrous. Rachides 30-100(-120) mm long. Primary inflorescence branches stiffly spreading to divaricate or reflexed (from the lowest node).

Hermaphrodite (`perfect') spikelets. Hermaphrodite spikelets pedicellate, 1.5-2 mm long, laterally compressed, not disarticulating as a separate unit, disarticulating above the glumes. Pedicels slender. Glumes two per spikelet, diverging from the spikelets, similar, subequal, shortly exceeding the florets, slightly longer than the proximal lemma. Lower glume longer than the upper glume, membranous, slightly keeled, acute, muticous; 1 veined, midvein scabrous (toward apex). Upper glume membranous, slightly keeled, acute, muticous; 1 veined, midvein scabrous (toward apex). Rudimentary florets absent. Incomplete florets absent. Hermaphrodite florets 1 per spikelet. Rachilla not apically prolonged. Callus present, blunt. Lemma less firm than the glumes, laterally compressed, ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, membranous, not keeled, truncate; muticous or awned (occasionally). Lemma 5 veined. Lemma veins obscure, glabrous; intercostal regions glabrous. Awns 1, median. Median awn 1 veined, slender, weak, dorsal, arising from the mid-point of the lemma, straight. Palea vestigial, minute, hyaline. Lodicules 2, hyaline, ovate. Stamens 3. Anthers 0.3-0.4 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Styles 2, free to their bases.

Fruit. Fruit elliptical to oblong, c. 1 mm long, glabrous.

Common name. Hair Bent.

Distribution. Endemic. Tasmania, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria.

Ecology. Mesophytic; shade species, or in open habitats. From sea-level to altitudes of about 1200 m, in depressions, sod tussock grassland, and in fens, bogs and wet areas in alpine herbfields. Flowers summer.

Classification. Pooideae; Poodae; Aveneae.

References. Morphology: Morris 77 (1991); Jacobs & Hastings (1994); Vickery 103 (1941).

Cite this publication as:
C.M. Weiller, M.J. Henwood, J. Lenz and L. Watson (1995 onwards). `Pooideae (Poaceae) in Australia - Descriptions and Illustrations'. URL http://muse.bio.cornell.edu/delta/
Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993) should also be cited.

References and Acknowledgements