Ectrosia confusa C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's Icon. Pl. ser. 5, 4 t. 3312: 14–15
(1936).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Queensland, between Norman and Gilbert
rivers, Gulliver s.n..
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate, 15–31 cm
tall, 2–3 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or
sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule a fringe
of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 4–8 cm long, 0.6–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, loose or effuse, 3–10 cm
long, 1–2.5 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–5), comprising 2–5 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong or obovate, laterally compressed, 4–5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume lanceolate, 2–3.5 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 3–6 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma
apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 2
-nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Burke, Cook.
Notes.
Endemic; inland and near-coastal parts of the northern N.T., S of Pine Ck, and
northern part of Qld, S of Cape Flattery, within 300 km of the coast. In
heathlands or open forest, mainly on sand in hilly areas and along creek lines.
