Iseilema dolichotrichum C. E. Hubbard.
Hooker's Icon. Pl. t.3285 (1935).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia,
Duchess: Hubbard 7347 (K holo).
Key references
(books and floras): [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (493), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 6–8 cm tall, 1–2 -noded. Mid-culm
internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate
membrane, 1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 2–4 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 2 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed, 4 in number. Companion
spikelets developed, comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas or containing
empty lemmas or male, 2.3–3 mm long. Companion spikelet glumes muticous.
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 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, coriaceous,
without keels, 10 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, coriaceous, 3 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret hyaline, 0 -nerved. Fertile florets female.
Fertile lemma 3 mm
long, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn
from a sinus, 15–20 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 0.8 mm long.
Palea absent. Grain 1 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia: Fitzgerald.
Fortescue, Ashburton. Northern Territory:
Central Australia North, Central Australia
South. Queensland:
Gregory North, Gregory South.
Notes.
I. dolichotrichum and I.
eremaeum appear to grade into each other.
Growing in basaltic
and stoney soils and red earths in isolated localities in the Eremean zone.
Flowers Mar.--Aug.
