Paspalidium tabulatum (Hack.) C.E.Hubb. Bull.
Misc. Inform. Kew 1934: 448 (1934).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
tabulatum Hack., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 6: 234 (1885).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Neumann s.n., 29 Apr 1875, Australia:
Western Australia (K; IT: US-81289 (fragm.)).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (248), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes absent. Culms erect, 40–60 cm tall, 4–7 -noded. Mid-culm
internodes hollow, glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparsely
branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane or a
fringe of hairs, 0.35–0.45 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 5–8 cm long,
1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes appressed, 0.5–1.2 cm
long, 1.2 mm wide, bearing 2–5 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence
axis 7.5–9 cm long.
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,
laterally compressed, 3.5–4.4 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 5–7 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex muticous or
mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, 3.5–4.4 mm long, membranous, without keels,
3 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male, with palea. Lemma of
lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 11–13 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 3.5–4 mm
long, without keel.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia.
Western Australia:
Fortescue.
Notes. In
acacia shrublands and arid hummock grasslands. A rare species from W.A. Flowers
Apr.-Oct.
