Panicum paludosum Roxb. Fl. Ind.
ed. Carey 1: 310 (1820).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: India:, Roxburgh 806 (HT: BM; IT: CAL,
K(icon. ined. 806)) 'It grows generally in sweet water amongst the Circar
mountains.'.
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 (317).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (317).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes absent or present. Stolons present. Culms erect or
geniculately ascending or decumbent, 25–130 cm tall, spongy, 3–8 -noded.
Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches
sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles
absent. Ligule a fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear or
lanceolate, flat, 7–30 cm long, 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or
scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, 10–30 cm long,
evenly furnished.
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, 3.2–4.1 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest
fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate or orbicular, hyaline, without
keels, 0–3 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate,
3.1–4 mm long, membranous, without keels, 7–9 -nerved. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of
lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 9 -nerved,
muticous.
Fertile lemma 2.25–2.7
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex muticous. Anthers 3. Grain 1.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and
Pacific.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River. Queensland: Cook, Moreton, North
Kennedy, Port Curtis, Wide Bay, South Kennedy, Leichhardt. New South Wales:
North Coast.
Notes. In
tropical heaths, tropical and subtropical rain forests, tropical and
subtropical wet sclerophyll forests, tropical and subtropical sub-humid
woodlands, and coastal grasslands. Flowers throughout the year.
