Polypogon lutosus*

Polypogon lutosus* (Poir.) Hitchc. U.S.D.A
Bull. (1915–23) 772: 138 (1920)
.

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.

Common name:
Perennial Beardgrass.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Polypogon
littoralis
Smith nom superfl, Comp. Fl. Brit. ed. II. 13. (1816).

Recent synonyms: x Agropogon littoralis 

Key references
(books and floras):
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia

(181 as x Agropogon littoralis), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley
& D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (356 as A. lutosus),
[2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(233).

Illustrations:
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australiia, [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia  (182, fig. 130), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(354 as P. lutosis), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (232, Fig.32).

Derivation:
from the Latin lit(t)us (sea shore) and -ale (pertaining to).

Habit.
Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, stature slender to
delicate, 8–70 cm tall. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths
smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 3–7 mm long, erose or lacerate, obtuse.
Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long, 2–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or
scabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or oblong or ovate, 2–18
cm long, 0.6–7 cm wide.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong,
laterally compressed, 2–3 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic or oblong or ovate,
membranous, without keels or keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex
awned. Upper glume elliptic or oblong or ovate, 2–3 mm long, membranous,
without keels or keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous or
scabrous. Upper glume apex awned.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 1–2 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned,
1 -awned. Median (principal) awn subapical, 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 2
-nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.

Continental
Distribution
: Europe, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, North
America, and South America.

Australian
Distribution
: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.

New
South Wales
: North Coast, Central
Coast, Southern
Tablelands. Victoria:
Gippsland Plain, Riverina, Volcanic Plain, Wannon. Tasmania: East Coast.

Notes. Introduced. Native
of Europe. Grows in wet disturbed areas.
Flowers Dec.-Mar.

AVH 2011

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith