Triraphis R.Br.

1 species in Aust.; Qld, NSW, S.A., WA, NT

Triraphis mollis R.Br.

Annual or perennial herb to 80 cm high. Nodes on culms constricted, purplish. Ligule ciliate with rigid hairs c. 3 mm long at each end. Leaf blade rolled and bristle-like. Inflorescence spike-like. Spikelets bisexual, solitary, with 3–9 florets, disarticulating above the glumes and between the lemmas, in dense spike-like panicles. Glumes membranous, unequal, keel and margin scabrous, upper glume c. 4 mm long. lower glume c. 5 mm long. Lemmas longer than glumes, keeled, 3-nerved, ciliate on nerves. Central nerve extending to an awn 5–7 mm long. Lateral awns 6–7 mm long. Callus with short hairs. Sandy soils. Fl. summer. Purple Needlegrass