Sarga angustum (S.T.Blake)
Spangler. Austral. Syst. Bot. 16(3): 289 . (2003).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Sorghum
angustum S.T. Blake, Pap. Dept. Bot. Univ. Queensland 1(18): 21
(1941).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: S.T. Blake 13737, 8 Apr 1938, Australia: Queensland: Cook District: about 40 miles
north-west of Mungana (BRI; IT: K).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect, 50–100 cm tall, 3–6 -noded. Mid-culm nodes bearded. Lateral
branches branched. Leaves cauline. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate
membrane, 0.6–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 8–46 cm long, 2–5.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of rames. Panicle lanceolate, loose, 9.5–20
cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster or 2 in the cluster. Companion spikelets absent or represented by barren
pedicels or rudimentary, 0.2 mm long. 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, elliptic
or oblong or oblanceolate, dorsally compressed, 10.7–13 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma, dull or shiny. Lower glume
elliptic, coriaceous, without keels, 9–11 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous
or indumented. Upper glume ovate, coriaceous, without keels, 7–9 -nerved. Upper
glume surface glabrous or indumented. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1,
barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 80 % of length
of spikelet, hyaline, 2 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 3.7–4.2
mm long, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn
from a sinus, 37–85(–114) mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 3.3 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory: Darwin &
Gulf. Queensland:
Cook, North Kennedy.
Notes.
In north-eastern Qld and Arnhemland, N.T., where it grows in littoral zones and
often on sandy soils in inland areas. Flowers Apr.--June, Sept.
