Briza maxima*

Briza maxima* Linn. Sp. Pl.  70 (1753).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: LT: Seguier s.n., (LINN-88.6). LT designated
by Hubbard in Milne-Redhead & Polhill (ed.), Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Gramineae
1: 53 (1970).

ST: van Royen s.n.,
unknown (L).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (660),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (128),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2002]
J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the South West (406), [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (114),
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
(172), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (340).

Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (129,
Pl. 38), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses  (79), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia  (115, Fig. 74), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(172).

Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or decumbent, 10–65 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes hollow. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 2–5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, 5–20 cm long, 2–8 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate or obovate, 2–10 cm long.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–20), comprising 5–20 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, oblong or ovate, laterally compressed, 10–25 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume elliptic or ovate, chartaceous, without keels, 7–9
-nerved. Upper glume elliptic or ovate or obovate, 5–7 mm long, chartaceous,
without keels, 7–10 -nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 6–8 mm long, keeled, 7–13 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous or
indumented. Lemma apex entire. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Grain 2.5 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
Pacific, North America, and South America.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South
Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Norfolk I, Lord Howe.

Western Australia:
Drummond, Dale, Menzies, Eyre. South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Eyre
Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo
Island, South-eastern. Queensland: Darling Downs, Mitchell, Moreton,
Wide Bay. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast,
Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South-Western Slopes. Victoria:
East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Highlands, Gippsland Plain,
Grampians, Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Otway Plain, Otway Range, Wilsons
Promontory, Riverina, Volcanic Plain, Wannon, Wimmera. Tasmania:
Furneaux Group, North East, Midlands, East Coast.

Notes.
Introduced. Also on Lord Howe Is. Native in the Mediterranean and widely
introduced in temperate regions. Common on disturbed and sandy areas. Flowers
Aug.-Dec.

 

AVH 2011

 

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith