About Austrostipa mollis (R.Br.) S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett
Austrostipa mollis (R.Br.) S.W.L.Jacobs & J.Everett is a perennial, erect, robust, tufted grass that reaches up to 1.4 meters in height. Its stem nodes are covered in soft downy hairs. Leaves grow in a tuft at the base of the plant; they are typically glabrous overall, but are densely hairy on their upper surface, and reach 30 to 50 percent of the total stem length. The inflorescence forms a dense panicle up to 30 centimeters long. Glumes are purplish or green, and measure 16 to 22 millimeters long. The lemma measures 7.5 to 9 millimeters long, and is pale or reddish brown when mature. Its semi-appressed hairs are 0.6 to 2 millimeters long, spiral in shape, and range in color from white to golden; this coloration does not extend toward the lemma apex. The palea is roughly the same length as the lemma, and has a line of hairs running down its center. This species flowers from September to December. It grows in moist to dry soils, most commonly in heathy woodlands. It tolerates frost and snow, and grows in conditions from full sun to semi-shade. It can be propagated from seed sown in autumn to early winter. It occurs across a wide variety of habitats that have sandy and/or low fertility soils, including coastal dunes and headlands, slightly saline flats, shrubland, and dry eucalypt forest.
