Rigid Panic

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Rigid Panic - Russell Best via NatureShare

Walwhalleya proluta

Perennial erect wiry grass to 100 cm forming a thick clump. Leaf- sheath has distinct ear-shaped lobe (auricle). Leaf is bright green flat and up to 20 cm long. Seedhead is oval-shaped and loosely spreading, 10-28 cm long, with small scattered seeds.

Details
Flora Type
Grasses
Former Scientific Name
Homopholis proluta, Whalleya proluta, Panicum prolutum
Other Common Names
Coolah Grass
Distinctive Features

Distinctive branched open stiff flowerheads with small spikelets on long thin stalks.
Biology

Perennial. Dry forests and woodlands, semi-arid shrub woodlands, shrub steppe shrublands, acacia shrublands, and eucalypt shrublands.
Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Oct-May
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Walwhalleya
Species
proluta

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Endemic in eastern Australia. The flowers are borne above the foliage. The short pointed spikelets are retained on the panicle whch separates from the plant at maturity to become wind-blown.

Interesting Facts
Native Status
Native