Alloteropsis cimicina (L.) Stapf. Fl.
Trop. Afr. 9: 487 (1919).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Milium
cimicinum L., Mant. ii. 184 (1771).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: India, Malabar: Koenig (LINN holo).
Recent synonyms:
Panicum cimicinum (L.) Retz., Axonopus cimicinus (L.) P.Beauv.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Derivation: L. cimex,
bug; -ina, resemblance. Mature spikelets bear a fanciful resemblance to
a small bug.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 15–120 cm tall. Mid-culm
nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.7–1.8 mm long.
Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate or ovate, 1.5–15 cm long, 4–20 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with racemose branches. Racemes 4–11, 7–25 cm long.
Central inflorescence axis 0–10 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled, 2–4 in the cluster. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the
lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal
sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension or
with a barren rachilla extension, elliptic or ovate, dorsally compressed, 3.5–5.5
mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume ovate, 3.4–5 mm long,
cartilaginous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Upper glume apex muticous or mucronate.
Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male, with palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.4–5 mm
long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal)
awn 2–4.5 mm long overall. Palea apex entire. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and North
America.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Burke, Cook, Leichhardt, Mitchell, North
Kennedy, South Kennedy.
Notes.
Alloteropsis cimicina can be distinguished from A. semialata by
the annual habit, shape of the leaf blades and by the presence of the globose
hairs on the upper palea.
Occurs throughout the
tropics of the Old World. In tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands and
coastal grasslands. It has little or no economic importance and the presence of
coumarin, an aromatic substance, makes it a poor fodder species. Flowers mostly
Jan.-May.
