Psammagrostis wiseana

Psammagrostis wiseana C.A.Gardner & C.E.Hubb. Hooker's Icon. Pl. 34:
t. 3361 (1938).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: Australia,
W Australia, Manberis Station:  Gardner 3035 (K
holo).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia
1 Gramineae (113), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia
1 Gramineae (112, Pl. 32), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B:
Poaceae 3 (Fig. 73F-J).

Habit. Annual
or ephemeral. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent or prostrate, 4–35 cm
tall (long), 4–7(–12) -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.2–0.5 mm long.
Leaf-blades flat or involute, 0.3–5 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 1, 0.3–1 cm long, bearing
1–3 fertile spikelets on each.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–7), comprising 3–7 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 4–8.5 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 2.1–3 mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.1–3.3 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous or
indumented. Lemma apex mucronate. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia.

Western Australia: Carnarvon.

Notes.
Occurs on red sand dunes in the sublittoral areas of the Austin
District between the Gascoyne and Minilya Rivers (N of Carnarvon) in the Eremaean
region of W.A. With Acacia aneura, Eremophila forrestii, Cassia desolata,
Eriachne
sp., Enteropogon ramosus, Diplopeltis sp., Pityrodia
and Calothamnus; flowers only after good winter rains, in average or
better seasons; fruits in late winter.

 

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