Hymenachne acutigluma (Steud.)
Gilliland. Gard. Bull. Straits Settlem. 20: 314 (1963).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
acutiglumum Steud. Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 66 (1853).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Philippine Islands:, Cuming 2287 (HT: P; IT:
L).
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (480 as
?Panicum myuros), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(109 as H. amplexicaulis), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent, 30–200 cm tall, spongy. Mid-culm
internodes solid. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.7–2 mm long. Leaf-blades
linear or lanceolate, 12–45 cm long, 6–30 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 8–50 cm long, 1–3.5 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, 4.5–5.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between
glumes.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, hyaline, without
keels, 3–5 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 3–4.3 mm long, membranous, without
keels, 3–5 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex awned. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved, awned.
Fertile lemma 2.5–3.5
mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy, South Kennedy.
Notes.
Variable in habit and size of the spikelets.
In tropical and
subtropical wet sclerophyll forests, tropical and subtropical sub-humid
woodlands, and coastal grasslands. An aquatic or subaquatic species
occasionally collected in the tropics of Qld and the N.T. Flowers sporadically
throughout the year.
