Kingdom Plantae Family Poaceae Scientific name Austrostipa variabilis | Order Poales Genus Austrostipa Rank Species | |
Similar Austrostipa pubescens, Austrostipa flavescens, Austrostipa ramosissima, Austrostipa stipoides, Stipa tenuifolia | ||
Austrostipa variabilis is a species of grass that grows in southern parts of Australia.
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Description
It is a perennial tufted bunchgrass, from 15–80 centimetres (5.9–31.5 in) in height. It has green or purple flowers.
Distribution and habitat
Austrostipa variabilis is native to southern Australia. It is most common in the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia, but specimens have been recorded east across the nullarbor, and even beyond Adelaide, South Australia.
It grows in a range of habitats, including dunes and granite outcrops, and tolerates a range of soils.
Taxonomy
The type specimen of this species was collected early in the 19th century by James Drummond, from the vicinity of the Swan River. The species was not described, however, until 1921, when Dorothy Kate Hughes published it as Stipa variabilis. This was its name until 1996, when the Australian species of Stipa were recognised as meriting their own genus. Thus Austrostipa was erected, and this and other species transferred into it.