Cymbopogon bombycinus

Cymbopogon bombycinus (R.Br.) Domin. Biblioth.
Bot. 85: 274 (1915).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Andropogon
bombycinus R. Br., Prodr. 202 (1810).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown 6175, Australia: East Coast
[Upper Head, Broad Sound = Charon Point] (BM; IT: BRI, K, MEL, P).

Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (202 as Andropogon
lanatus, Andropogon bombycinus), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis
7 (533 as Andropogon lanatus, Andropogon bombycinus), [1952]
C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (340), [1983]
J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland (489),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 30–120 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm
nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane,
2–6 mm long, membranous. Leaf-blades 15–40 cm long, 1–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface scaberulous, glabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Central inflorescence axis 6–40 cm
long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary, 2 in number (lower raceme).
Companion spikelets developed, comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas or
male, 3–5 mm long. Companion spikelet glumes muticous. 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, lanceolate or ovate or obovate, dorsally compressed, 4–6 mm
long.

Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous,
keeled, 2-keeled, 1–2 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, keeled, 1-keeled, 3(–5)
-nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant
palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline.

Fertile lemma without
keel. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus,
6–21 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent. Anthers 3. Grain 2–5
mm long.

Continental
Distribution: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.

Western Australia:
Gardner, Fitzgerald, Hall, Dampier. Canning, Fortescue, Carnarvon. Irwin,
Drummond, Menzies, Roe, Coolgardie. Northern Territory: Darwin &
Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North. Queensland:
Burke, Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Mitchell, North Kennedy, Port
Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego.