[5] The leaves are ~30 cm long, 1mm in diameter, needlepointed and rigid, and its inflorescence is a narrow, loose panicle that forms a flowering stalk up to ~2m in height.

[10] Poales branch away from other monocotyledons in the late cretaceous (>65 million years ago)[9] and can be identified by three gene sequences (rbcL, atpB, and 18S rDNA).

[10] The genus Triodia is part of the subfamily Chloridoideae that thought to have diversified in drier habitats with the evolution of the C4 photosynthetic process.

[6] Triodia scariosa occurs throughout semi-arid and arid regions of mainland Australia south of ~24o latitude (excludes Northern Territory and Tasmania) and mostly within a mean annual rainfall of 200-400mm.

For example, in the critically endangered ecological community ‘Porcupine Grass-Red Mallee-Gum Coolabah hummock grassland/low sparse woodland in the Broken Hill Complex Bioregion’ (NSW), T. scariosa is habitat for three endangered lizard species (Cyclodomorphus melanops elongatus, Delma australis, and Ctenophorus decresii) .

[12][17] Further, numerous endemic and highly threatened species are reliant on T. scariosa in this ecosystem for their persistence in the wild (e.g. Stipiturus Mallee, Ningaui yvonneae, Ctenophorus fordi).

[17][18][19] A broad range of fauna taxa are associated with T. scariosa including birds, mammals, reptiles and arthropods,[17][18] which utilise the complex growth structures for foraging, nesting, refuge from predators and temperature amelioration.

[3] In the southern aspect of its range, it is most commonly associated with an overstory dominated by Mallee Eucalypts (Eucalyptus dumosa and E. socialis),[17] but also Callitris, Melaleuca, Acacia and Hakea.

[17][21] In the Murray-Mallee, wildfires are large (1000's ha), burn at both high and uniform severity and connection through the landscape is provided by the continuous fuel source of T. scariosa, resulting in top kill of the low canopy tree species.

[17] In this landscape, all vegetation is removed following fire, and regeneration is uniform and predictable, including the presence of fauna species.

[5] The size and complexity of individual plants is influenced by time since fire, environmental factors (soil, ecological relationships) and climate variables.