Grasses of Cape York - Mitchell River Fan Aggregation
Arundinella setosa Trin. (A-run-din-ella; set-o-sar)
A reed like, many stemmed perennial, with flowering stems up to 120 cm tall (Fig. 1). Numerous stems emerge from a short rhizome (Fig. 2). The young emerging shoots are typically hard with a sharp pointed tip (Fig. 3). Leaves are slender and both basal and cauline (arising from along the length of the stem). The basic flowering units or spikelets are shortly stalked and are either solitary or in pairs. If spikelets are in pairs, the stalks are usually of different lengths but the spikelets are the same in shape, size, and composition. Spikelets are arranged in a relatively sparse, open, many branched inflorescence or flowering head (Fig. 4). The branches of the flowering head are occasionally arranged in whorls (with several branches arising from the stem at the same point) but are more typically staggered along a central stem (Fig. 4). The spikelet consists of an upper and lower glume enclosing two florets (highly modified grass flowers) (Fig. 6). The lower floret is sterile and the upper floret is fertile with an awned lemma. The tip of the lemma in the fertile floret 1 cm is divided into two thread like bristles/awns with a much Rhizome larger central awn or bristle located between them (Fig. 6). Fig. 2. Rhizome and culms/stems of Arundinella setosa (PHO- TO: ATH; specimen CNS136647).
new shoots 1 cm
Fig. 1. Plants of Arundinella setosa as they appear in the field (PHOTO: RJCumming d50151a).
Fig. 3. New shoots emerging from rhizome of Arundinella setosa (PHOTO: ATH; specimen CNS142537).
FACT SHEET: GRASSES OF CAPE YORK - MITCHELL RIVER FAN AGGREGATION > BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION A perennial grass with culms 50-120 cm tall (Fig. 1) and a short rhizome (Fig. 2). Leaves are basal and cauline; the leaf blades, 6-40 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, glabrous or hairy. The inflorescence is a compound open panicle, 5-30 cm long, 3-12 cm wide (Fig. 4). Spikelets are pedicelled, solitary or in pairs. Each spikelet consists of two florets. The lower floret is sterile with a persistent palea and lemma. The upper floret is fertile with a 3-awned, bifid lemma; the central awn, 5-9.5 mm long, staggered is much longer than fine and thread like lateral awns placement (Fig. 6). of branch >DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES The tall reedy nature and open branched flowering head of Arundinella species are relatively easy to recognise. branches There are two species that occur in Cape York Peninsula arising (CYP), this species and Arundinella nepalensis. from one Arundinella setosa can be identified by the presence of point two lateral thread like bristles/awns on the lemma of the fertile floret (Fig. 6) and is more commonly associated with rocky situations, forest margins, and savanna. Arundinella nepalensis does not have these fine thread like bristles/awns (Fig. 7) and typically is associated with wet situations as well as savanna woodland. Other grasses which may be superficially confused with Arundinella are Capillipedium and Chrysopogon species. Both Capillipedium and Chrysopogon have Fig. 4. Inflorescence of Arundinella setosa, note whorled and staggered branches sessile and pedicelled spikelets arranged in pairs or (PHOTO: RJ Cumming d18605a). triplets, the pedicelled spikelets are different from the central awn sessile spikelet in size, shape, and composition (Fig. 8). of fertile lemma See factsheets for these genera published in this series. lateral awns solitary of fertile spikelet lemma
lemma of paired sterile oret spikelets lateral awns glumes
central awn 2 mm 5.5 mm
Fig. 6. Spikelet of Arundinella setosa showing, glumes, awns on the lemma Fig. 5. Inflorescence branch of Arundinella setosa showing arrangement of spikelets of the fertile floret, and lemma of sterile floret (PHOTO ATH; specimen (PHOTO: RJ Cumming d77307cra). QRS 76271).
FACT SHEET: GRASSES OF CAPE YORK - MITCHELL RIVER FAN AGGREGATION > > > FACT SHEET: Flowers Jan.-Aug. Jan.-Aug. Flowers Papuasia. and IndoMalesia Asia, Southeast China, India, from known Australia of outside Territory; and the Gulf and Barkly Tablelands region of the Northern Queensland north throughout layer.Widespread ground the dominate which stands large form to not tends it and frequently seen, only a few individuals are usually present, Although 10). (Fig. CYP throughout distributed widely is margins and (Fig.forests open forests, grasslands 9) and hills, dry ground, rocky with associated is species This species. granivorous for seed and fauna, for fodder and soils, habitat providing stabilising in useful perennial, rhizomatous A Fig. 9. Typical habitatfor HABITAT NATURAL VALUES LAND MANAGEMENTLAND NOTES GRASSES OF CAPE YORK - MITCHELL RIVER FAN AGGREGATION RIVER YORK -MITCHELL CAPE OF GRASSES Arundinella setosa (PHOTO: RJCumming d23933a). central awnbutnolateralawns(PHOTO: ATH, specimenMBA7034). Fig. 7.Spikeletsof TO: ATH; specimenMBA7104). Fig. 8.Spikeletclusterof of sterile lemma
2 mm oret 1 cm oret fertile awn of glumes twisted spikelets pedicelled Arundinella nepalensis awn Chrysopogon pallidus showing acute lemma tip, with developed showing acutelemmatip,withdeveloped (PHO - callus spikelet sessile oret of fertile lemma 100 S > ! RESOURCES: F AVH (2019). Australia’s Virtual Herbarium, Council of ! !(! !(!! Heads of Australasian Herbaria,
! Arundinella setosa !(! !(( Collection Sites Resources Study, Canberra, and Environmental Protection Authority, Queensland). Cape York Bioregion WEIPA !(! Regional Ecosystem " !(! Rolfe, J., Golding, T. and Cowan, D. (1997). Is your !(! pasture past it? The glove box guide to native pasture !(! identification in north Queensland. Information !(! ! !(! !(! Series Q197083. Queensland Department of Primary !(! Industries. !(!! !(! !(! !(! !(! !(! Simon, B.K. & Alfonso, Y. (2011). AusGrass2, http:// ! !(! !(!(! !(! !(! !(! ausgrass2.myspecies.info/accessed on [date 26 Feb !(! !(! !(! ! !! 2019]. !(! ! !!(! 150 !
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Fig. 10. Map of CYP bioregion showing actual herbarium collections (from BRI and CNS) (solid circle) and site records (open circle) of Arundinella setosa. The green shading indicates areas where this species might also be found, based on similarity of habitat to locations where the species has been recorded. (Mapping supplied by P. Bannink, DES). Data attribution: Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Biodiversity status of pre-clearing and 2015 remnant regional ecosystems series - version 10.0 licensed under Creative Commons Attribution.
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This project is funded by Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Investment Program
FACT SHEET: GRASSES OF CAPE YORK - MITCHELL RIVER FAN AGGREGATION