Holcus lanatus* Linn. Sp. Pl. 1048
(1753).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Habitat in Europae pasenis arenosis, typ. cons.
LT: Anon.,
(LINN-1212.10). LT designated by Cope in Jarvis et al., Regnum Veg. 127:
54 (1993), typ. cons.. ST: van Royen s.n., (L).
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (586),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (41),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2002]
J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the South West (419), [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (224),
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales (275), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(137).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia
1 Gramineae (40, Pl. 10), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia
(225, fig. 169), [1984]
N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (155), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley
& D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (275), [2009].
A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia
44A: Poaceae 2 (138, Fig.21).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 20–80(–120) cm tall, 2–5
-noded. Mid-culm internodes pubescent. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Leaves mostly
basal. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1–2.5(–4) mm long,
abaxially hairy, bilobed, truncate. Leaf-blades 4–20 cm long, 3–10 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or oblong or ovate, dense
or loose, 25–270 cm long, 1–8 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex,
elliptic, laterally compressed, 3.7–6 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated
below proximal fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper
glume elliptic, 3.7–6 mm long, chartaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume surface asperulous, indumented. Upper glume apex mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–2.5 mm long, keeled, 3–5 -nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
Pacific, North America, South America, and Antarctica.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland,
New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
Western
Australia: Drummond, Dale, Menzies, Warren. South Australia:
Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty,
Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Queensland:
Darling Downs, Moreton, South Kennedy, Wide Bay,
Burnett. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast,
Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South-Western
Slopes, South-Western Plains. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern
Highlands, Gippsland Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Lowan Mallee,
Midlands, Otway Plain, Otway Range, Wilsons Promontory, Riverina, Snowfields,
Volcanic Plain, Wannon. Tasmania:
North East, Central Highlands.
Notes.
Introduced. Southern and eastern Australia. Native of Europe, now widely naturalized. A weed of wastelands,
roadsides, poor pasture, and occasionally of native communities following
disturbance. Flowers July-May.
