Homopholis belsonii C. E. Hubbard. Bull. Misc. Inform. 127(1934).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: IT: E. Belson s.n., Nov 1930, Australia: Queensland:
Darling Downs Dist. (US-1611720).
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 (276).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (276).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 20–40 cm tall. Lateral branches sparsely
branched. Leaf-sheath auricles present. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.8–1.5 mm
long. Leaf-blades flat, 3–15 cm long, 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate to globose, 8–25 cm long,
0.25–0.35 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. 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,
dorsally compressed, 4.5–6.1 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, without keels,
7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 4.5–5.7 mm long, membranous, without keels,
7 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile
florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 900 % of length of
spikelet, membranous, 7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2–3.5 mm
long, 5–7 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous or mucronate. Palea without keels.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution:
Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Darling Downs. New South Wales: North-Western
Slopes.
Notes. Rarely
collected in the Darling Downs and North Western Plains regions of Qld and
N.S.W. In Brigalow forests and temperate sub-humid woodlands. Wheeler et al.
(1982, Grasses of New South Wales) reports it as locally abundant. Flowers
Feb.-May.
