Enneapogon avenaceus

Enneapogon avenaceus (Lindl.) C. E.
Hubbard. Kew Bull. 1934: 450 (1934).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Pappophoreae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Pappophorum
avenaceum
Lindl., J. Exped. Trop. Australia 320 (1848).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: Mitchell s.n., 22 Sep 1846, Australia:
Queenland: Victoria River (Barcoo River), 24.01S 145.2E (CGE).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (601 as Pappophorum
avenaceum
), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(30), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia
(454), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia,
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia
(331), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New
South Wales
(240).

Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
31A-E), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia
 (331, Fig. 263), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (240).

Habit. Annual
or perennial. Culms 7–45 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched.
Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 1–3 mm wide.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear to ovate, 3–9 cm long, 1–3 cm
wide.

Spikelets. Spikelets
pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile florets
(2–3(-4)), comprising 2–3(–4) fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 4–13.6 mm long.

Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous,
without keels, 8–23 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous or indumented. Upper
glume ovate, 4–13.6 mm long, membranous, without keels, 8–23 -nerved. Upper
glume surface glabrous or indumented.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.8–3.5 mm long, without keel, 9–11 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, awned, 9 -awned. Median (principal)
awn (2.7–)7–11(–15.4) mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns present. Lodicules
present. Anthers 3. Grain 1–1.6 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.

Western Australia:
Gardner. Giles, Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin. Coolgardie. Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf, Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North, Central Australia
South. South Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Nullabor,
Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Murray. Queensland:
Burke, Gregory North, Maranoa, Mitchell, North Kennedy, Warrego, Gregory South.
New South Wales: North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far
Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Victoria: Murray Mallee.

Notes.
Distinctive due to its many fertile florets, long lemma hairs, often loose
panicle, wider than long lemma and long, unequally wide lobes. A wing-like,
hyaline margin on the basal lemma of some plants is also noteworthy.

Widespread
in arid and semiarid parts of all mainland states except Vic. Usually in sandy
soils or disturbed sites.

 

AVH 2011

    

                                         

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith