Panicum lachnophyllum Benth. Fl.
Austral. 7: 486 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: "Queensland. Moreton Bay, ...", C.
Stuart..
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (486),
[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
(316).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (316).
Habit. Perennial. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present. Culms erect or
decumbent, 10–30 cm tall, wiry, 7–12 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheath
auricles absent. Ligule a fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs, a ciliolate
membrane. Leaf-blades spreading, linear or lanceolate, 1.5–10 cm long, 3–9 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 2–7 cm long, with
spikelets clustered towards branch tips.
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, elliptic or oblong
or ovate, dorsally compressed, 2.5–3 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to
lowest fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate or oblate, membranous, without
keels, 0–3 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume elliptic or ovate,
2–2.4 mm long, membranous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile
floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.7–2 mm
long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Cook, Moreton, North Kennedy, Wide Bay, Port Curtis. New South Wales:
North Coast.
Notes.
The inflorescence is similar to that of Cyrtococcum species. The upper
floret is hairy at the apex and occasionally a few scattered hairs are present
on the surface. In fact, Entolasia specimens have been misidentified as
this species. The presence of such variation illustrates the close relationship
between Panicum and Entolasia. Specimens of P. lachnophyllum
from N Qld have glabrous or nearly glabrous leaves whereas others are
distinctly hairy.
In tropical heaths,
tropical and subtropical rain forests, tropical and subtropical wet sclerophyll
forests, and tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands. Found in the shaded
forested areas of SE Qld and NW N.S.W. Flowers Feb.-Aug.
