AusTraits

Heteropogon contortus

Explore the data for this taxon in the portal

Family Poaceae

Taxonomy: Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.

Synonyms: 23 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Andropogon allionii Lam. & DC. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Andropogon bellardi Bubani (taxonomic synonym)
  • Andropogon brownei Kunth (orthographic variant)
  • Andropogon brownii Kunth (taxonomic synonym)
  • Andropogon contortum L. (orthographic variant)
  • Andropogon contortus L. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Andropogon contortus L. var. contortus (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Andropogon contortus subvar. roxburghii (Arn. ex Nees) Hack. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Andropogon contortus var. genuinus Hack. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Andropogon contortus var. glaber (Pers.) Hack. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Andropogon polystachyos Roxb. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon allionii (Lam. & DC.) Roem. & Schult. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. subvar. contortus (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Heteropogon contortus subvar. roxburghii (Arn. ex Nees) Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon contortus subvar. typicus Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon contortus var. genuinus Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon contortus var. glaber (Pers.) Hack. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon firmus J.Presl (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon glaber Pers. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon hirtus Pers. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon polystachyus (Roxb.) Nees (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon polystachyus (Roxb.) Schult. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Heteropogon roxburghii Arn. ex Nees (taxonomic synonym)
Misapplied names: 1 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Andropogon striatus Klein ex Willd. (misapplied)

Distribution (APC): WA, NT, Qld, NSW

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, NT eFlora, Florabase, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: ABRS_2022 (3), ABRS_2023 (9), ATRP_2020 (2), Crowley_2007 (2), GrassBase_2014 (6), Hall_1981 (15), Kew_2019_1 (13), Kew_2019_5 (1), Kew_2019_6 (10), Lord_1997 (3), Metcalfe_2020_2 (14), Munroe_2019 (1), NHNSW_2014 (1), NHNSW_2014_2 (2), NHNSW_2022 (4), NHNSW_2023 (6), NSWFRD_2014 (5), Nano_2011 (2), Osborne_2014 (1), Schmidt_2010 (36), Simpson_2021 (2), Sjostrom_2006 (4), WAH_2022_2 (3), WAH_2023_2 (3), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), White_2020 (18), eFLOWER_Dun_2022 (8). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 64 traits from 177 records in 28 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
  • resprouting_capacity (categorical): resprouts (4) [sources: Crowley_2007; NSWFRD_2014; Nano_2011; White_2020]
flower morphology
  • flower_colour (categorical): green (1); red_brown (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; eFLOWER_Dun_2022]
  • sex_type (categorical): andromonoecious (1); gynomonoecious (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_type (categorical): caryopsis (5) [sources: ABRS_2023; Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2023; Sjostrom_2006; WAH_2023_2]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): dry (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): dehiscent (1); indehiscent (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; Sjostrom_2006]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 495 mm2 (495-495 mm2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 165 mm (30-300 mm) [sources: ABRS_2023; GrassBase_2014]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 4.83 mm (2-8 mm) [sources: ABRS_2023; GrassBase_2014; NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): linear (1) [sources: ABRS_2023]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (1) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2]
  • leaf_lamina_posture (categorical): conduplicate (1); flat (1) [sources: ABRS_2023]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): alternate (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c4 (4) [sources: Munroe_2019; Osborne_2014; Schmidt_2010; White_2020]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): graminoid (6); herb (4); tussock (3) [sources: ABRS_2022; Hall_1981; Lord_1997; Metcalfe_2020_2; NHNSW_2022; NSWFRD_2014; Schmidt_2010; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022; White_2020]
  • life_form (categorical): hemicryptophyte (1) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (6) [sources: ABRS_2022; ATRP_2020; NHNSW_2022; Simpson_2021; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2023]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): herbaceous (4) [sources: ABRS_2022; NHNSW_2022; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): erect (1); tufted (1) [sources: ATRP_2020; NHNSW_2022]
  • leaf_phenology (categorical): evergreen (1) [sources: Schmidt_2010]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (2) [sources: Schmidt_2010; White_2020]
  • root_structure (categorical): arbuscular_mycorrhizal (1) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): abiotic (1); wind (1) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; White_2020]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): epizoochory (3); zoochory (1) [sources: Kew_2019_5; Lord_1997; Metcalfe_2020_2; White_2020]
  • dispersers (categorical): mammals (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • flowering_time (categorical): yynnnnnnnnny (2); yyyynnnnnnny (1); yyyyyyyyyyyy (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014; NHNSW_2014_2; NSWFRD_2014; White_2020]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): persistent (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): not_vegetative (2) [sources: Metcalfe_2020_2; White_2020]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_buds (1); basal_stem_buds (2); root_crown (1) [sources: Crowley_2007; NSWFRD_2014; Nano_2011; Simpson_2021]
nutrient and stable isotope
  • leaf_N_per_dry_mass (numerical): 8.78 mg/g (4-12.37 mg/g) [sources: Hall_1981; Schmidt_2010]
  • leaf_P_per_dry_mass (numerical): 0.97 mg/g (0.4-1.25 mg/g) [sources: Hall_1981; Schmidt_2010]
  • leaf_delta13C (numerical): -13.16 {delta}[ppth] (-13.21--13.12 {delta}[ppth]) [sources: Schmidt_2010]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 2.13 mg (0.96-7.15 mg) [sources: Kew_2019_1; Lord_1997; Metcalfe_2020_2]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Schmidt_20102036S. Schmidt, R. E. Lamble, R. J. Fensham, and I. Siddique. “Effect of woody vegetation clearing on nutrient and carbon relations of semi-arid dystrophic savanna”. Plant and Soil 331.1-2 (2009), pp. 79-90. doi: 10.1007/s11104-009-0233-5.
White_20201818M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
Hall_1981315T. J. Hall. “The nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of some pasture species in the Dichanthium-Eulalia Grasslands of North-West Queensland.”. The Rangeland Journal 3.1 (1981), pp. 67-73. doi: 10.1071/rj9810067.
Metcalfe_2020_21414D. Metcalfe. “Unpublished data: Traits of Poaceae spp, CSIRO”. 2020.
Kew_2019_1113Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Kew_2019_6110Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Germination data from the Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
ABRS_202379Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
eFLOWER_Dun_202268L. Dun and H. Sauquet. “Unpublished: Floral traits for GAP taxa, University of New South Wales, Australia”. 2022.
GrassBase_201436W. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, and K. H. &. H. Williamson. GrassBase - The online world grass flora. 2006. url: http://www.kew.org/data/grasses-db.html.
NHNSW_202356N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
NSWFRD_201455B. Kenny, C. Orscheg, E. Tasker, M. A. Gill, and R. Bradstock. NSW Flora Fire Response Database, v2.1. database. NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2014.
NHNSW_202244N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Sjostrom_200644A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
ABRS_202233Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
Lord_199733J. Lord, J. Egan, T. Clifford, E. Jurado, M. Leishman, D. Williams, and M. Westoby. “Larger seeds in tropical floras: Consistent patterns independent of growth form and dispersal mode”. Journal of Biogeography 24 (1997), pp. 205-211. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2699.1997.00126.x.
WAH_2022_233Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
WAH_2023_223Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
ATRP_202022F. A. Zich, B. P. Hyland, T. Whiffin, and R. A. Kerrigan. Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. 2020. url: https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/intro/index.html.
Crowley_200722G. Crowley, M. Gardener, and M. Marrinan. Tropical savannas fire response database. 2007. url: [www.landmanager.org.au](www.landmanager.org.au).
NHNSW_2014_222Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Nano_201122C. E. M. Nano and P. J. Clarke. “How do drought and fire influence the patterns of resprouting in Australian deserts?”. Plant Ecology 212 (2011), pp. 2095-2110. doi: 10.1007/s11258-011-9988-x.
Simpson_202122K. J. Simpson, E. C. Jardine, S. Archibald, E. J. Forrestel, C. E. R. Lehmann, G. H. Thomas, and C. P. Osborne. “Resprouting grasses are associated with less frequent fire than seeders”. New Phytologist 230 (2021), pp. 832-844. doi: 10.1111/nph.17069.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Kew_2019_511Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed dispersal data from the Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Munroe_201911S. E. M. Munroe, F. A. McInerney, J. Andrae, N. Welti, G. R. Guerin, E. Leitch, T. Hall, S. Szarvas, R. Atkins, S. Caddy-Retalic, and B. Sparrow. “The Photosynthetic Pathways of Plant Species Surveyed in Australia's National Terrestrial Monitoring Network”. Scientific Data 8 (2021), p. 97. doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-00877-z.
NHNSW_201411Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/search/simple.htm.
Osborne_201411C. Osborne, A. Salomaa, T. Kluyver, V. Visser, E. Kellogg, O. Morrone, M. Vorontsova, W. Clayton, and D. Simpson. “A global database of C4 photosynthesis in grasses”. New Phytologist 204 (2014), pp. 441-446. doi: 10.1111/nph.12942.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.