Citation: R. Br., Prod. FI. Nov. Holl. 288 (1810).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Austral grass-tree.

Description:
Trunk to 3 m, stem often branched; crowns l-many, either young leaves in an erect tuft spreading with age and old leaves often reflexed over the trunk, or the crown more or less spherical; leaves usually quadrate-rhombic to transverse-rhombic, occasionally depressed-obtrullate in section, 1.2-3 mm wide, 1-2.2 mm thick, blue-grey-green, glaucous.

Inflorescence 120-250 cm long; scape 15-80 cm, usually 30-50 cm long, 18-40 (usually 22-38) mm diam.; spike much longer than the scape (2-6 times as long), 80-250 (usually 110-180) cm long, 40-90 (usually 50-80) mm diam.; cluster-bracts very prominent, elongate, subulate, glabrous; packing-bracts elongate, subulate, glabrous; outer perianth-segments triangular to linear-triangular, with a long beak, with a proboscis, glabrous; inner segments erect to slightly recurved, with a proboscis, glabrous except for papillose hairs at the apex.

Fruits straight, 14-20 mm long, emerging 4-6 mm above the bracts; seeds 7-10 mm long, 3-4 mm wide.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: July — Dec. (Young spikes in June).

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: A.T. Lee, Contr. N.S.W. natn. Herb. 4:52-53 described 2 subspecies of this species. The present concept of X. australis restricts this taxon to the type subspecies.

Author: Not yet available