| Dark wiregrass | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Aristida |
| Species: | A. calycina |
| Binomial name | |
| Aristida calycina | |
Aristida calycina, commonly known as dark wiregrass, [1] is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is native in Australia.
The grass-like or herbaceous perennial plant has a compact or loosely tufted habit and typically grows to a height of 0.3 to 2 m (1 ft 0 in to 6 ft 7 in). [1] [2] It is strongly branched and has wiry culms. The leaves have smooth or scaberulous sheaths with a ligule that is approximately 0.3 mm (0.012 in) in length. The blade is convolute or conduplicate or sometimes but in some cases is flat with a width of around 1.5 mm (0.059 in). It has lanceolate shaped glumes that are 6 to 20 mm (0.24 to 0.79 in) in length with the upper portion being obtuse and the lower part acute to acuminate. The linear to elliptic lemma is purple or brown in colour with even darker margins and 6 to 9 mm (0.24 to 0.35 in) in length. The divergent flattened awns have a length of up to 30 mm (1.2 in). [2]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Robert Brown in 1810 as part of the work Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum quas annis 1802-1805. Synonyms include Aristida glumaris, Chaetaria calicina and Aristida calycina var. typica. [3]
There are three varieties of this species:
Aristida calycina is found mostly in the eastern states of mainland Australia, Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and parts of the Northern Territory with a scattered distribution that thins toward the west. [3] In New South Wales it is found in all areas apart from the far south west and grows in sandy poor soils. [2]
Aristida is a very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family. Aristida is distinguished by having three awns (bristles) on each lemma of each floret. The genus includes about 300 species found worldwide, often in arid warm regions. This genus is among those colloquially called three-awnswiregrasses, speargrasses and needlegrasses. The name Aristida is derived from the Latin "arista", meaning "awn".
Grevillea saccata, commonly known as pouched grevillea, is a shrub which is endemic to the south-west region of Western Australia.
Eucalyptus odontocarpa, commonly known as Sturt Creek mallee, is a mallee that is native to northern Australia. Indigenous Australians know the plant as Warilyu.
Acacia desertorum is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to western Australia.
Acacia filifolia is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to western Australia.
Acacia ramulosa, commonly known as horse mulga or bowgada wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae endemic to arid areas of Australia.
Acacia asperulacea is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Lycopodiifoliae.
Acacia cupularis, commonly known as the Coastal Umbrella Bush, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to southern parts of Australia.
Acacia glaucocaesia is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to north western parts of Australia.
Acacia inceana is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia sclerophylla, commonly known as the hard-leaf wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves and is endemic to southern parts of Australia.
Hakea falcata, commonly known as sickle hakea, is a shrub in the family Proteacea and is endemic to southern Western Australia. It has narrow egg-shaped leaves, cream flowers and blooms in spring.
Hakea incrassata, commonly known as marble hakea, is a shrub in the family Proteacea and is endemic to Western Australia.
Hakea lasianthoides is a shrub or tree in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has creamy-white flowers, mostly linear leaves and flowers from September to November.
Hakea stenophylla is a shrub or tree in the family Proteacea, with sweetly scented creamy-white flowers. It is endemic to Western Australia.
Grevillea trifida is a shrub of the genus Grevillea native to an area in the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia.
Petrophile filifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to southwestern Western Australia. It is a small shrub with curved, long, needle-shaped leaves and more or less spherical heads of hairy cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers.
Cyperus flaccidus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus rigidellus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Aristida contorta, commonly known as bunched kerosene grass, kerosene grass, bunched windgrass, silvergrass, mulga grass,sand speargrass, and medicine grass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is native in Australia. The Walmajarri name for this species is Ngirrirli.