Alopecurus geniculatus* L. Sp. Pl. 1:
60 (1753).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Common name:
Marsh Foxtail.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Herb. Burser 1: 26, (UPS). LT designated
by Cope in Cafferty et al., Taxon 49(2): 245 (2000).
Recent synonyms:
A. australis Nees.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (555),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (143
as A. australis), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (435), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (190), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (115), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora
of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (255).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(90), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia
(191, fig. 140), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (115), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae
2 (232, Fig.32), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, 4th edn (115).
Derivation: L. genus,
knee; -ulus, diminutive. -ata, possessing. Plants with bent culms or
awns.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 15–45 cm tall,
1–5 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 2–5 mm long, obtuse or acute.
Leaf-blades 2–12 cm long, 1–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 1.5–7 cm long, 0.3–0.8 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong, laterally compressed, 2.5–3.5 mm
long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume oblong, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, wingless, 3 -nerved.
Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume oblong, 2.5–3.5 mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, wingless, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface
indumented.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.3–3.5 mm long, keeled, 4–5 -nerved. Lemma apex entire or
dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn dorsal, 3.5–7.7 mm long
overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent. Lodicules absent or vestigial.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South
Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
Western Australia:
Austin. Avon. South Australia: Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin,
Murray, Southern Lofty, South-eastern. Queensland: Darling Downs,
Gregory South, Maranoa, Warrego. New South Wales: Southern Tablelands,
North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes,
North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains, South Far
Western Plains. Victoria: Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians,
Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Murray Mallee, Riverina, Wannon, Wimmera. Tasmania:
King Island, North East, Midlands, East Coast.
Notes. Clarke states
"lemma ... margins free", but all Australian material, and European
material under this name at CANB has the lemma connate for half its length.
Introduced. Throughout Australia
except the N.T. Native to Europe, Asia and North America, widely introduced elsewhere.
In damp lowland areas, occasionally partly submerged. Flowers Aug.-Nov. Fruits
Oct.-Jan.
