Alexfloydia

Alexfloydia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Panicoideae
Supertribe:	Panicodae
Tribe:	Paniceae
Subtribe:	Cenchrinae
Genus:	Alexfloydia B.K.Simon
Species:	A. repens
Binomial name
Alexfloydia repens B.K.Simon

Alexfloydia is a genus of perennial stoloniferous grasses in the panic grass subfamily of the Poaceae grass family.[1][2]

This genus is endemic to coastal eastern New South Wales in Australia.

There is one known species, Alexfloydia repens.[3] This genus was named in honour of the species discoverer, Australian botanist Alexander Floyd (1926-2022).[4][5]

Habitat and distribution

Alexfloydia repens is a spreading, mat-forming grass found on the margins of brackish and tidal waterways in areas flooded by unusually high tides (called "king tides").[6] The species forms a groundcover associated with the tree species Casuarina glauca and the Endangered Ecological Community Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest. Currently this grass is known only from a few locations in the Coffs Harbour region.

Status

This species is listed as Endangered on the schedules of the NSW Threatened Species Act.[7]

Ecology

Alexfloydia repens is the sole larval food plant for the endangered Black grass-dart butterfly (Ocybadistes knightorum) (Lambkin & Donaldson, 1994).[8]

See also

• List of Poaceae genera

References

1. Watson L, Dallwitz MJ. (2008). "The grass genera of the world: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval; including synonyms, morphology, anatomy, physiology, phytochemistry, cytology, classification, pathogens, world and local distribution, and references". The Grass Genera of the World. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
2. Simon, B.K. 1992. Studies in Australian grasses 6. Alexfloydia, Cliffordiochloa and Dallwatsonia, three new panicoid grass genera from Eastern Australia. Austrobaileya 3:669-681.
3. "Alexfloydia". The Grass Genera of the World. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
4. "Alexander G. Floyd (1926 - 2022)". Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
5. Atlas of Living Australia, Alexfloydia B.K.Simon
6. Tidal Variations — The Influence of Position and Distance NOAA ocean service education
7. "Black grass-dart butterfly - endangered species listing". Department of Environment & Climate Change (NSW). Archived from the original on 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
8. "Alexfloydia repens (a grass) - endangered species listing". Department of Environment & Climate Change (NSW). Retrieved 2008-04-02.