Plants of
South Australia
Tetrarrhena acuminata
Poaceae
Pointed Rice-grass
Display all 13 images
Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
Enlarge Map
Copy Map
Copy Map
Display IBRA region text

Botanical art

Kath Alcock painting: 1

Etymology

Tetrarrhena from the Greek 'tetra' meaning four and 'arrhen' meaning male, referring to the 4 anthers which is unusual in the Poaceae. Acuminata from the Latin 'acumen' meaning sharp point and '-ata' meaning possessing, referring to the upper sterile lemma which are drawn out to a long, narrow point.

Distribution and status

Found only in the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in open aspect in wet heath. Also found in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Very rare in South Australia. Rare in New South Wales. Common in the other states.
Herbarium region: South Eastern
NRM region: South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Rhizomatous perennial grass with decumbent or weakly ascending stems to 1 m long. Leaves distichous, glabrous or minutely scabrous with flat blade to 70 mm long and 5 mm wide, ligule membranous, irregularly toothed, 0.8–2 mm long. Inflorescence spike-like raceme to 5 cm long. Glumes to 3 mm long, the lower slightly shorter than upper, both smooth and glabrous. Lower sterile lemma shorter than upper, acute or obtuse, upper sterile lemma acute to acuminate and sometimes shortly mucronate with 5–7-nerved, fertile lemma slightly shorter than upper sterile lemma, often minutely mucronate, scabrous along keel. Flowering between September and February. Fruits are short pale brown spike. Seed embryo type is lateral.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and March. Use hands to gently strip seeds off the mature seed spike that are turning straw colour. Mature seeds will come off easily. Alternatively, you can break off the whole seed spike. Place the seeds/spike in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. No further cleaning is required if only seed collected. If seed spikes collected, use hand to strip off the mature seeds. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.