Rytidosperma fulvum

Wallaby Grass at Latham, ACT

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Identification history

Rytidosperma fulvum 22 Jul 2026 MattM
Rytidosperma caespitosum 18 Jul 2026 Caric

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User's notes

Long seed stem by far longer than the plant (see last photo of most of the plant, though seedhead had to be taken separately), stem was reddish with knobbly nodes. Possibly Rytidosperma caespitosum or R. fulvum? Woodland. Only spotted one. If this grass can be identified, any advice on distinguishing features appreciated.

2 comments

MattM wrote:
   22 Jul 2026
I believe this is R. fulvum, but it is difficult to say for certain without measurements. R. caespitosum should have three rows of hairs that are better defined than in your image. R. fulvum tends to have scattered hairs between the rows which are not as well defined. The twisted part of the central awn frequently exceeds the top row of hairs in R. caespitosum, but here it appears shorter as in R. fulvum. The body of the lemma should also be oblong in R. caespitosum, but here at least one looks more triangular as in R. fulvum.
The R. fulvum I have observed in Canberra tend to be quite tall (30-50 cm) and have a somewhat triangular shaped inflorescence with branching visible. When I have seen R. caespitosum, the inflorescence has tended to be more cylindrical with branching hidden.
Caric wrote:
   22 Jul 2026
Thanks so much for these notes Matt. Really appreciated.

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Sighting information

Additional information

  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height

Species information

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