Derivation
Thyridolepis S.T.Blake, Contr. Queensland Herb. 13: 25 (1972); from the Greek thyridos (a window) and lepis (a scale), alluding to the peculiar lower glume.

multiculmis- from the Latin multus (many) and culmus (stalk). Plants densely caespitose.

Published in
Contr. Queensland Herb. 13: 32 (1972).

Common synonyms
Neurachne multiculmis Pilg.

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Basal leaf sheaths thickened and forming a bulb, woolly. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 15–70 cm tall, 3–6-noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or pilose. Leaf-sheaths outer margin glabrous or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.8–1.2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 2–10 cm long, 2.5–5 mm wide, rigid. Leaf-blade surface pubescent. Leaf-blade margins smooth or scaberulous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle spiciform, linear, interrupted (spikelets distant below), 4.5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis, with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular, pubescent.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels oblong, 0.5–1.4 mm long, pubescent. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, lower floret sterile or male, upper fertile, without rhachilla extension, linear or oblong, dorsally compressed, 5.6–8 mm long, falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

Glumes
Glumes dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, 4.8–7.5 mm long, 80–90% of length of spikelet, cartilaginous, 7-nerved. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove. Lower glume surface fenestrate, pubescent or pilose, with a dorsal tuft of hair. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong, 5.1–7.5 mm long, 70–85% of length of spikelet, coriaceous, 9-nerved. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume margins tuberculate. Upper glume margins ciliate and setose. Upper glume apex obtuse or acute.

Florets
Basal sterile florets 1, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, 60–70% of length of spikelet, chartaceous, 5-nerved, pubescent, obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate, 4.1–4.9 mm long, membranous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2-nerved. Anthers 3, 0.4–0.8 mm long. Stigmas 2.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia.

Western Australia: Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin, Avon. Northern Territory: Central Australia South. South Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Panicoideae: Neurachneae

Notes
In shrub steppe shrublands, acacia shrublands, and arid hummock grasslands. Flowers sporadically throughout the year.