Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

There are about 35 species that are endemic to Australia, mostly in the arid and semi-arid regions.

Triodia

Tussock-forming perennial grass (Gramineae).

T. basedowii

Lobed spinifex, hard spinifex - WA, gsd, lsd, gd, wr, gvd, NT, cn, cs, SA, nw, ne, Q, gn, gs, NSW - common to dominant on extensive sand plains and dunefields - grows outside the arid zone in WA, NT, Q.

T. pungens

Gummy spinifex, soft spinifex - WA, gsd, td, wr, NT, cn, cs, Q, gn - It grows outside the arid zone in WA, NT, Q

T. longiceps

WA: gsd, lsd, td, NT: cn, cs, SA: nw, Q: gn - grows outside the arid zone in WA, NT.

T. sspicata

WA: wr, NT: cn, cs, - grows on rocky slopes

T. irritans

WA: wr, NT: cs, SA: nw, ne - grows outside the arid zone in all mainland states.

T. clelandii

Weeping spinifex - NT: cn, cs.

T. hubbardii

Hubbard's spinifex - NT: cn, cs, grows outside the arid zone in NT

T. intermedia

WA: gsd, td, NT: cn - grows outside the arid zone in NT, WA - grows on rocky hills.

T. concinna

WA: gd, gvd - grows outside the arid zone in WA - grows on loamy plains

T. scariosa

WA: wr, gvd, SA: nw, NSW - it grows outside the arid zone in WA, SA, NSW, VIC

Plectrachne

Differs from Triodia mainly by having longer glumes relative to the florets and well-developed awn-like lobes of lemma, much longer than the body. In Australia there are about 11 endemic species.

P. pungens

Curly spinifex - WA: gsd, lsd, NT: cn, cs - it grows outside the arid zone in WA, NT, Q.

P. shinzii

Feathertop spinifex, silvery spinifex - WA: gsd, td, gd, wr, NT: cn, cs, - grows outside the arid zone in WA, NT.

P. helmsii

SA: nw, Q: gs, - it grows outside the arid zone in WA

Spinifex sericeus [Spinifex hirsutus] (Poaceae)

Hairy spinifex, beach spinifex, a stout, grey, hairy perennial up to 30 cm tall. Roots form at the joints of the strong creeping stems. The leaves, usually more than 30 cm long, are narrow and silvery. Male and female flowers are usually on different plants. The large, round, spiny 20-cm diameter seedheads are shed when mature to be rolled along the beach by the wind. Grows in coastal sands. Common on sand dunes of Australia, as well as New Zealand and New Caledonia. It appears to thrive better in areas of blowing sand that can partially bury it. The tough, fibrous stems were used by the Aboriginal People to make sieve bags and dilly bags.

Abbreviations

Sources & Further reading

1. John Jessop, Flora of Central Australia, The Australian Systematic Botany Society, Reed Books, 1981
2. Burbidge, Australian Journal of Botany 1 (1953)121-184; Ibid 8(1960) 281-394.