Rytidosperma auriculatum

Lobed Wallaby Grass at Franklin, ACT

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Identification history

Rytidosperma auriculatum	28 Mar 2023	Tapirlord
Rytidosperma auriculatum	14 Mar 2023	Grassman
Rytidosperma auriculatum	9 Jan 2023	Tapirlord
Rytidosperma sp.	2 Jan 2023	Tapirlord

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User's notes

Abundance my also include other Rytidosperma

3 comments

MattM wrote:

9 Jan 2023

Are the auricles obvious or very subtle? I keep checking Rytidosperma app. in the field but haven't noticed the auricles on any, but I might not have come across any R. auriculatum.

Grassman wrote:

14 Mar 2023

@mattm auricles vary from hard to see to pretty obvious, but their level of development varies a lot. Note this comment from VicFlora "Although in the typical form the lemmas of Rytidosperma auriculatum are among the most unmistakable of the genus, extreme reduction of the critical feature, i.e. the marginal wing on the lateral lobes of the lemma, can render this species virtually indistinguishable from the more widespread R. erianthum. The two species are vegetatively similar and occasionally occur together. Detailed studies may show R. auriculatum to be better recognized at a subspecific level within R. erianthum."
The auricle varies from this tiny flap on the lefthand side of the palea apex (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Rytidosperma_auriculatum_floret3_%289205147008%29.jpg) to this (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rytidosperma_auriculatum30_floret29_(9202350875).jpg) or in the extreme (https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/dccc7ffa-e145-48d2-afb9-fb30b35935b7#&gid=1&pid=3)

Grassman wrote:

14 Mar 2023

Looks like R auriculatum, but without being able to see the auricle, I can't confirm it is. Hence just a suggestion

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