Derivation
Tribolium Desv., Opusc. 64 (1831); from the Latin tria (three) and bolus (a fiery meteor in the form of an arrow), possibly referring to three florets encased in the very bristly glumes.

acutiflorum- from the Latin acuo (sharpen) and flos (flower). Paleas, lemmas or glumes with sharp apices.

Published in
Kew Bull. 40: 798 (1985).

Common synonyms
Desmazeria acutiflora (Nees) Dur. & Schinz
Plagiochloa acutiflora (Nees) Adamson & Sprague

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Young shoots intravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, 10–40 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 50–120 cm long, 2–3 mm wide.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes, terminal and axillary, embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle contracted or spiciform, linear or oblong, 1–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 4–9 fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 4–6.5 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar to each other and to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate, 2–4 mm long, 50–66% length of upper glume, coriaceous, 1-keeled, 5-nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously acuminate. Upper glume ovate, 3.5 mm long, 120–130% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, coriaceous, 1-keeled, 5-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves ribbed. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously acuminate.

Florets
Fertile lemma ovate, 2.5–3.5 mm long, coriaceous, 7-nerved. Lemma midnerve eciliate or ciliate, hairy below. Lemma surface glabrous or villous, with clavate hairs. Lemma margins ciliate, hairy below. Lemma apex acute or acuminate. Palea obovate, 2 mm long, 2-nerved. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Anthers 0.4–0.5 mm long. Grain with tardily free pericarp.

Continental Distribution:
Africa, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
South Australia, Victoria.

South Australia: Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty, South-eastern. Victoria: Wimmera, Wannon, Grampians, Midlands, Victorian Volcanic Plain, Otway Plain, Gippsland Plains.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Danthonioideae

Notes
Introduced from South Africa, a weed of disturbed ground in temperate Australia, but also invading undisturbed vegetation. Flowers Sep. to Dec. Related to T. obliterum by the glabrous glumes, but distinct by the three rows of hairs on the lemma, with the keel hairs strongly clavate, as well as the axillary inflorescences.