Eragrostis lanicaulis M. Lazarides. Aust.
Syst. Bot. 10: 126 (1997).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia,
Northern Territory,
Tobermorey homestead: Lazarides 5247 (CANB holo, BRI, K).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia,
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales (253).
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 70P-R), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, 4th edn (253).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Culms erect or decumbent, 40–50 cm tall,
wiry, 5–7 -noded. Mid-culm internodes pubescent or hispid or woolly. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe
of hairs, 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, flat or involute or convolute, 2–7
cm long, 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, loose, 8–15 cm long, 1–2 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least
2 fertile florets (17–94), comprising 17–94 fertile floret(s), with diminished
florets at the apex, linear, terete, 8–46 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume ovate, membranous, much thinner on margins, without keels
or keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 1.3–1.9 mm long, membranous,
without keels or keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume apex muticous or
mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.7–2 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex dentate. Anthers 3.
Grain 0.6–0.8 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland,
New South Wales.
Western Australia: Fortescue. Northern Territory: Central Australia North, Central Australia South. Queensland: Burke, Cook, Gregory
North, Gregory South, Mitchell, South Kennedy, Warrego. New South Wales: North-Western
Plains.
Notes.
Distinguishing characters include bulbous or knotty rootbase; biconvex or
terete spikelets, with numerous tightly imbricate florets; straight persistent
rachilla; obliquely attatched glumes; 3-toothed palea with relatively short
keels, and dorsally compressed caryopsis.
Endemic;
occurs near Port Sampson in W.A., central N.T., and from about Cloncurry in the
N to S of Charters Towers, Qld, also near Bourke in N N.S.W. Red or red-brown,
sometimes lateritic, loams, clays and sands, in floodouts, drainage channels,
broad shallow depressions, on sand dunes and limestone rises.; flowers Mar.,
May, and Aug.-Oct.; fruits Mar., May, and Aug.-Oct.
