Microstegium
nudum (Trin.) A.Camus. Ann.
Soc. Linn. Lyon 68: 201 (1921).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pollinia nuda
Trin., Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Petersbourg, Ser. 6, Sci. Math 2(3): 307
(1832).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Nepal:, Wallich s.n. (hb. Hornem.) (HT:
LE-TRIN-0056.01 (fragm.)).
Key references
(books and floras): [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(128), [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 (301).
Habit. Annual.
Culms sprawling, 20–100 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes
pubescent. Lateral branches branched. Ligule an eciliate membrane or a fringed
membrane, 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate, 1–8 cm long, 2–13 mm
wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate or subdigitate, with ramose branches. Rhachis fragile at
the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile and pedicelled, 2 in the cluster. 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, 2–5 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or
elliptic, coriaceous, keeled, 2-keeled, 4 -nerved. Lower glume surface
glabrous. Upper glume elliptic, without keels or keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.
Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex muticous. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile
floret hyaline.
Fertile lemma 1.5–2.5
mm long, without keel, 0 -nerved. Lemma apex entire or dentate, awned, 1
-awned. Median (principal) awn apical or from a sinus, 6–20 mm long overall.
Palea absent. Anthers 2. Grain 2 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Cook. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast.
Flora of Australia
Notes. Rainforest clearings and shady places in central N.S.W. and northern
Qld, extending through SE Asia to Africa. It has been suggested the species is
naturalised in Australia but herbarium label information indicates it is
probably native. Flowers Jan. & Mar.--Jun.
