Perotis rara R.Br.

Annual or short-lived perennial. Culms loosely tufted, decumbent at base, 15–40 cm tall. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate, flat or margins involute, tough, 1.5–5 cm, 2–5 mm wide, glaucous, glabrous, margins spiny-scabrous, pectinate at base, apex acute. Inflorescence up to 20 cm; spikelets laxly arranged, horizontally spreading, lightly reflexed at maturity; rachis scaberulous-hirtellous. Spikelets 3.5–4.5 mm (excluding awns); basal callus 0.5–1.5 mm, narrowly obconical, flattened, sometimes laterally pubescent; glumes linear-lanceolate, back evenly scaberulous-hirtellous with short white hairs, midvein scabrous with longer prickles toward awn, apex gradually tapering into awn; awn 1–2.5 cm; lemma 1.2–1.5 mm. Anthers ca. 0.6 mm. Caryopsis terete, subulate, ca. 2.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Nov.

In Australia, occurs in a variety of habitats fromcoastal dunes and vine thickets to open Eucalyptus forests on lateritic soils,but most often on sandy soils near streams or waterholes or in other disturbedareas, in woodland with Angophora,Eucalyptus, Acacia, Callitris, Alphitonia, Petalostigma, Terminalia,Brachychiton or Melaleuca spp.; it may be thedominant grass species or a minor component of the understorey.