Triraphis mollis

R. Br.
Common names: Purple needlegrass
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 31.

Plants short-lived perennials. Culms 2-90 cm, sometimes rooting at the nodes; nodes glabrous. Ligules membranous, long-ciliate, central cilia 0.5-1.6 mm, those at the sides to 3 mm, stiff; blades 7-24 cm long, 2-5 mm wide, usually involute, rarely flat. Panicles 6-30 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide; primary branches to 4.5 cm, appressed or ascending. Lower glumes 3-4 mm, mucronate; upper glumes 4-5 mm, 2-toothed; calluses about 0.5 mm, with hairs; lemmas 3-5 mm, hairs on the veins to 2 mm, lobes about 1 mm, central awns 5-7 mm, lateral awns 6-7 mm. 2n = unknown.

Discussion

Triraphis mollis usually flowers in response to rain. It is common on sandy soils in New South Wales, Australia. In the Flora region it is currently known only from Dimmit County, Texas, but it will probably spread.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.