Pseudopogonatherum contortum (Brong.) A.Camus. Ann.
Soc. Linn. Lyon. 68: 205 (1921).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pogonatherum
contortum Brongn., Voy. Monde 2(2): 90, pl. 17 (1831).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Molucca
Islands: Bourou,.
Recent synonyms:
P. collinum.
Key references (books
and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (525 as Pollinia
articulata), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect, stature slender to delicate, 20–110 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes
glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate
membrane, 1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform or linear, flat or involute, 10–30 cm
long, 1.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence subdigitate, with racemose branches. Racemes 3–20, 3–7 cm long.
Rhachis tough or fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled or sessile and pedicelled, 2 in the cluster. 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, 1.5–2.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma, shiny. Lower glume elliptic, membranous
or chartaceous, much thinner above, keeled, 2-keeled, 2 -nerved. Upper glume
lanceolate, chartaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume apex awned.
Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea.
Lemma of lower sterile floret 50 % of length of spikelet, hyaline, 0 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.5 mm
long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median
(principal) awn from a sinus, 15–30 mm long overall, with a twisted column.
Palea absent. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western
Australia: Gardner.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland:
Burke, Cook, North Kennedy, Port Curtis.
Notes. Occurs
sporadically in savanna and heath in northern Australia;
also in Malesia, China,
Burma and India. Flowers
Feb.--July. Oct. & Dec.
