Dactyloctenium radulans (R.Br.) Beauv. Ess.
Agrost. 72, 160 (1812).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae.
Cynodonteae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
Eleusine
radulans R. Br., Prodr. 186 (1812).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information:
(T.) Littora Novae Hollandiae intra tropicum,.
Key references
(books and floras):
[1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (186 as Eleusine
radulans), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(210), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia
(462), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia,
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia
(353), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New
South Wales (195).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (209,
Pl. 62), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 54D-E), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (352, fig. 284), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (194).
Habit:
Annual or ephemeral. Stolons absent. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or
decumbent or prostrate, 7–40 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous. Lateral branches branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface.
Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane or a ciliate membrane, 0.5 mm
long. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long, 3–4 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches. Racemes erect or ascending.
Rhachis deciduous from axis.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–4), comprising 2–4 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, ovate or obovate, laterally compressed, 3–5 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes
dissimilar. Lower glume ovate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
elliptic or oblong, 1.5–3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Upper glume apex awned.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–3.5 mm long, keeled, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned.
Median (principal) awn 0.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution:
Australasia.
Australian
Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
Western Australia:
Gardner,
Fitzgerald, Dampier. Canning, Giles, Helms, Fortescue, Carnarvon, Austin.
Irwin, Avon, Coolgardie.
Northern
Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland, Central Australia
North, Central Australia South.
South
Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders
Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty.
Queensland: Burke, Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Gregory North, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Moreton, North
Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Gregory South, Mitchell.
New
South Wales: North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, North-Western
Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains, South Far Western
Plains.
Victoria: Murray Mallee, Riverina.
Notes.
A valuable pasture grass of the drier inland areas, both vegetative and floral
parts being readily eaten by stock, but commonly increasing under heavy
stocking. Sometimes indicates overgrazing or disturbance. Exhibits weedy
behaviour in towns and on roadsides in less arid areas.
Endemic;
distributed through inland areas of all mainland states, and occurring near to
the coast and on off-shore islands above 24°S. Recorded growing on many soil
types but most often on sand and in seasonally wet areas such as creek-banks
and flood-plains; tolerates saline and swampy conditions and appears after
flooding; in grassland (sometimes with Astrebla) or shrubland, mulga,
open forest, cleared land; erect when with other grasses, prostrate on bare
ground; flowers normally Dec.-June, Oct.
x