Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Agrostis billardierei R.Br. Prodr. 171  (1810)

≡Deyeuxia billardierei (R.Br.) Kunth, Révis. Gram. 1: 77 (1829)

≡Calamagrostis billardierei (R.Br.) Steud., Nomencl. Bot. ed. 2, 1: 249 (1840); 

Holotype: BM! R. Brown no. 6218 Port Jackson, [New South Wales, Australia].

sand wind grass

Stiff, bluish green perennial tufts, 10-60 cm, with capillary-branched panicles sometimes overtopped by leaves; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath chartaceous, with wide membranous margins, closely striate, smooth but sometimes scaberulous above on nerves, light brown. Ligule (1)-2-4.5 mm, tapered above, entire to erose, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade (5)-10-24 cm × 2.5-6-(10) mm, flat, rather harsh, scaberulous on ribs and on margins throughout, ± abruptly narrowed to firm, ± blunt, ± hooded tip. Culm (4)-7-40 cm, erect, or decumbent at base, included within uppermost leaf-sheath, internodes densely finely scabrid. Panicle 6-24 × 10-24 cm, lax, with long, whorled, ascending branches, later spreading and panicle becoming as broad as long; rachis scaberulous, branches scaberulous, spikelets borne singly at tips of ultimate panicle branchlets, on pedicels thickened above. Spikelets (4)-5-6 mm, pale green to purplish. Glumes 1-(3)-nerved, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate, usually smooth, sometimes sparsely scabrid, margins wide, hyaline, midnerve scabrid. Lemma 3-4 mm, ± ⅔ length of glumes, smooth, or often scabrid above especially on nerves, firmly membranous, shining, elliptic-lanceolate, lateral nerves excurrent to short awns 0.5-1 mm; central awn (4.5)-5-9 mm, fine, geniculate, from lower ⅓ of lemma or rarely middorsal. Palea c. ⅔ length of lemma, hyaline with 2 faint keels near centre, keels finely scabrid at minutely bifid apex. Callus hairs ± dense, very short, 0.3-0.7 mm, c. Z\z/ length of lemma. Rachilla prolongation 0.5-1 mm, tipped by a thick tuft of hairs 1-1.5 mm and ≈ palea. Lodicules slightly > 0.5 mm, lanceolate, acute. Anthers (0.5)-0.7-1 mm. Caryopsis 1.3-1.8 × 0.5-0.8 mm.

N.: throughout; S.: northern half and near Dunedin and Invercargill; St.; Three Kings Is, Ch. Coastal cliffs, sandy flats and dunes, occasionally inland on limestone cliffs and at hot springs; lowland.

Indigenous.

Also indigenous to Australia.